No need to declare if using knives over 20 cm for production work

The Ministry of Public Security has just planned to adopt the draft Law on Management and Use of Weapons, Explosives and Supporting Tools, which is amended. According to the draft, organizations, enterprises and individuals when producing, trading, exporting and importing knives with high lethality must declare the quantity, type, brand and name of the manufacturing facility to the local police of the commune, ward or town. This regulation aims to strictly manage and prevent criminals from taking advantage of this to commit crimes.

"High-damage knives" are primitive weapons, including sharp or pointed knives with blades from 20 cm long or converted or assembled to have functions and effects similar to high-damage knives.

Some National Assembly deputies requested clarification on whether knife trading is a conditional business in terms of security and order. Does the declaration have to be made before or after production and trading? And does the use of highly lethal knives in work, production and daily life have to be declared?

The Ministry of Public Security said that high-damage knives are dual-purpose tools commonly used by people in labor, production, and daily life. Therefore, organizations, businesses, and individuals that produce, trade, import, and export high-damage knives on the list issued by the Minister of Public Security must declare them to the police of communes, wards, and towns.

This declaration is not because this is a profession, investment and business with conditions on security and order and does not generate administrative procedures. "People who use knives with high lethality in work, production and daily life do not have to declare," said the Ministry of Public Security.

According to the Ministry of Public Security, the above regulation is a measure to prevent and combat crime while ensuring that it does not affect the production and business activities of enterprises and people. The draft law does not prohibit the possession of knives and swords inherited from fathers and grandfathers, or for display in families and clans. However, individuals who own such weapons must declare them.

"We want to tighten the regulation on knives with blades of 20 cm or more because daggers are equipped for armed forces to perform official duties and the reality of fighting crime shows that most of the knives seized have blades of 20 cm or more," the Ministry of Public Security explained. In addition, the Ministry also referred to the laws of Russia, Belarus, and Australia - all of which regulate the size of knife blades for management.

The revised Law on Management and Use of Weapons, Explosives and Supporting Tools will be reviewed, commented on and approved by the National Assembly according to the one-session process.