Bringing Fullsize Kirpan from India to UK

[BhForce]

1. What's the law/regulations regarding bringing full-size kirpans from India to the UK (England) in checked luggage?

2. I know that most people think that checked luggage is fine for big kirpans, but don't some countries or airlines have regulations about "swords" and "weapons" in luggage these days? If there are such regs, are they usually ignored?

3. Secondly, in the UK, is there any problem with wearing/taking along the big kirpan? Specifically, throwing it into your car and taking it to the Gurdwara?

4. What if you have to travel by bus/train to a keertan program in another city?

5. Finally, what about the reverse? Taking your fullsize kirpan to India? Any grief from Delhi vs. Amritsar airports?

[Singh1989]

Big Kirpan's can ONLY be carried in suitcases that you do not have access to during whole flight duration (I believe it beneath the storage area). You can, by all means, carry kirpan from one town to other in England trains.

No search takes place at train stations. Just buy a ticket n go.

[BhForce]

1 hour ago, Singh1989 said:

Big Kirpan's can ONLY be carried in suitcases that you do not have access to during whole flight duration (I believe it beneath the storage area).

Right, and so I assume this means that you are saying that it won't be seized by customs in the UK. But the gov't website says:

4. Banned and restricted goods

There are some goods that you can’t bring into the UK - they’ll be seized by customs.

These include:

• illegal drugs
• offensive weapons, eg flick knives

https://www.gov.uk/duty-free-goods/banned-and-restricted-goods

 

So I'm worried that if they take their regulations seriously, customs can seize a big kirpan, because it's certainly an "offensive weapon", no?

Or do we skate by on the religious exception?

 

[Singh1989]

On ‎30‎/‎09‎/‎2017 at 2:48 PM, BhForce said:

Right, and so I assume this means that you are saying that it won't be seized by customs in the UK. But the gov't website says:

4. Banned and restricted goods

There are some goods that you can’t bring into the UK - they’ll be seized by customs.

These include:

• illegal drugs
• offensive weapons, eg flick knives

https://www.gov.uk/duty-free-goods/banned-and-restricted-goods

 

So I'm worried that if they take their regulations seriously, customs can seize a big kirpan, because it's certainly an "offensive weapon", no?

Or do we skate by on the religious exception?

 

It was 2014 when I carried a shaster in luggage both ways back n forth - UK India then India UK but times do change. Best to contact airport official n ask them, especially size of Shaster.

Normal Kirpan are allowed (though some opt for necklace type, no more than 0.3" in size) but still carry normal ones in the luggage suitcase (not hand held luggage, that'll be seized n thrown in the bin).

IF yer talking about Shastar as in the size of sword then yeah, best to contact officials directly. (Unless someone been in 2017 can shed some light)?

[Singh1989]

OH YEAH and if you manage shaster in UK train (sword type) it better to keep it well hidden from view. Again, it buy a ticket and go. You can carry it in cars not hidden. No problem.

Trains have zero stop n search and absolutely no metal detect barriers.

[Singh2017]

VJKK VJKF

You can carry what you like (Kirpan) where you like in India to England and in India and in England. If you get arrested you can pull the Criminal Act 1988 Section 139 and 139A out where it says you can allow a knife to be carried on a person if it is a "religious artefact". They can't stop you - in the Damdami Taksal (correct me if I'm wrong) their rehat says they shouldn't have a sword less than 3ft so what would they do if they came here? We're in kaljug but it's all good for where we are right now. Hope that helps Ji.

Vaheguru Ji.

[SewakAkaalDa]

ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕਾ ਖਾਲਸਾ, ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕੀ ਫਤਿਹ ।। 

I had the same question about carrying 3ft kirpaan from london to india. However if someone can answer this based on current situations whether royal mail would ship Kirpans of 3ft internationally to India ? 

[BhForce]

On 10/26/2017 at 1:36 AM, Singh2017 said:

VJKK VJKF

You can carry what you like (Kirpan) where you like in India to England and in India and in England. If you get arrested you can pull the Criminal Act 1988 Section 139 and 139A out where it says you can allow a knife to be carried on a person if it is a "religious artefact". They can't stop you - in the Damdami Taksal (correct me if I'm wrong) their rehat says they shouldn't have a sword less than 3ft so what would they do if they came here? We're in kaljug but it's all good for where we are right now. Hope that helps Ji.

Vaheguru Ji.

Oh, so you're saying that the UK Govt website quoted above does not reflect the actual law?