Knife retailers in ten areas across England and Wales, including London and Nottinghamshire, will be visited by underage children, under the supervision of police and trading standards officers, as part of the drive.
Coaker has also written to chief police officers and heads of local authorities demanding more be done to tackle the problem of knife sales to teenagers.
He said: “I am calling on partners in police and trading standards to get tough with anyone illegally selling knives to under-18s. I want to see more test purchasing operations to catch any unscrupulous retailers.”
Coaker’s announcement came as Scotland Yard released new figures showing the number of people charged with knife possession in London has dropped by 50 per cent in the last four years, despite the recent wave of teenage stabbings in the capital.
