Post office seizes 49 knives after rule change
BBCForty-nine knives posted to the Isle of Man were confiscated and destroyed over a four month period after tighter restrictions were introduced.
In April 2024 the Isle of Man Post Office banned customers from sending knives or blades of any sort to the island, including common kitchen knives and cutlery.
Items including knives and forks, scissors with sharp edges and pocket knives can still be bought in shops on the island, as they can still be imported by businesses.
In the House of Keys, post office chairman Stu Peters was asked if an appeals process could be considered for items bought with "good intentions" but he said "the regulations were the regulations".
When making the change, the post office prohibited items outlined in the UK's Offensive Weapons Act 2019, which also includes sporting equipment with blades such as ice skates.
During Tuesday's sitting, using a sample of four months between November 2024 and February 2025, Peters told the house a total of 31 customers had been written to about the confiscation of 49 knives.
Rob Callister MHK said one of his elderly constituents had ordered some kitchen knives "with good intentions" and asked if enquiries could have instead been made to return the goods.
In response, the chairman said there were "very clear distinctions" on what was now classed as a prohibited item, which could be found on the post offices website.
He said the onus was on the seller to understand the restrictions, "even if it's something as innocent as a kitchen knife".
He conceded that some might feel the move was a "sledgehammer to crack a nut" as the Isle of Man did not have the same levels of knife as in the UK, but "the regulations were the regulations".
After the sitting, an IOMPO spokeswoman confirmed it worked with a range of businesses partners, which each have their own terms and conditions for posting bladed items.
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