Police across the world are on the look-out for a terrifying new type of weapon, which they fear could wreak havoc on the streets.
The WASP knife, which has been developed for hunters, kills by injecting a frozen ball of compressed gas around the size of a basketball into the body of prey, causing organs to rupture.
With the knife now available to buy online from US websites, police are worried it could dramatically increase fatalities in an already alarming rate of stabbings.
But Australian Customs spokesman Simon Latimer says although it's conceivable that criminals could simply order the weapon from overseas, there are measures in place to catch them out.
"I don't know if you'd say it's easy," he told LIVENEWS.com.au when asked how hard it would be to successfully receive the knife.
"What I would say to anyone trying to import a weapon like this is simple: It is a prohibited weapon. Unless you have permission in advance to import it you will face a high risk of being detected and you could well face prosecution."
He says Customs screens 100% of international mail and that anyone trying to import the WASP knife could face criminal sanctions.
The weapon retails online for around $A350 and is marketed as being handy for use against bears and sharks.