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AAP
AAP
National
Farid Farid

'Shocking': dozens of weapons seized in knife sweep

NSW Police have seized 91 knives and unlawful weapons and charged 67 people since December. (Supplied by Nsw Police/AAP PHOTOS)

Dozens of weapons like knives, knuckle dusters and machetes have been seized since police were given extra powers to perform "wanding" in public places.

NSW Police have scanned 4147 people using electronic metal detectors since laws were changed in December, seizing 91 weapons and charging 67 people with 71 related offences.

"The number of weapons that have been seized already is shocking," Premier Chris Minns said on Tuesday.

"To have taken almost 100 knives and other weapons off our streets is as horrifying as it is important."

Other weapons found on offenders include tasers, sling shots and folding kitchen knives.

Deputy Commissioner Peter Thurtell said the vast majority of those charged were adults, who he described as irresponsible for carrying the weapons in public places.

The NSW legislation was modelled on Queensland's Jack's Law and introduced following a spate of high-profile knife crimes, including the killing of six people in a stabbing rampage at a Bondi Junction shopping centre nearly a year ago.

The laws allow police to stop and scan individuals without a warrant at designated areas.

Offenders carrying a knife without a reasonable excuse face up to $11,000 in fines or up to four years in jail.

The laws were introduced despite longer-term trends showing a significant decrease in knife crime in the state over the past 20 years.

The Queensland laws, passed in 2023, were named after 17-year-old Jack Beasley, who was fatally stabbed on the Gold Coast in 2019.

The expanded police powers can be activated in public spaces including transport hubs, shopping precincts and certain sporting venues.

Other legal measures introduced in NSW include fines of up to $11,000 for selling knives to a child under 16 and up to a year behind bars.

The premier said the laws would not be expanded and the government had struck the right balance in keeping communities safe while not impinging on their rights or ability to move freely in public spaces.

NSW Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley
Yasmin Catley says police are cracking down hard and those carrying knifes will be caught. (Bianca De Marchi/AAP PHOTOS)

"We made a judgment call we weren't going to roll out what would be an intrusive police operation on average citizens ... we believe that (Jack's Law) is a reasonable trade-off," he said.

The wanding operations were conducted in Sydney's city centre and western and southwestern suburbs, as well as in regional centres such as Newcastle, Wollongong, Dubbo, Wagga Wagga and Albury.

Police Minister Yasmin Catley warned would-be offenders to rethink their actions as officers would not slow down their wanding operations.

"Anyone thinking about leaving home with a dangerous weapon should think again," she said.

"Police are cracking down hard and you will be caught."

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