Two men, one Russian and the other Belarusian, have been fined by a Monaco court after police discovered knives inside their vehicle during a late-night traffic stop in the Principality, Monaco-Matin reports.
The incident took place on the evening of February 25, when officers from Monaco’s Public Security Department stopped a car on Avenue Princesse Alice as part of a routine check. During the inspection, officers found a fixed-blade knife roughly ten centimetres long beneath the driver’s seat. A second knife, this time a folding model with a sizeable blade, was discovered in the glove compartment on the passenger side.
Both items fall under Category C weapons, which are prohibited to carry or transport in Monaco without proper authorisation.
The two men appeared before Monaco’s criminal court on Tuesday, March 3 to answer charges related to violations of the Principality’s weapons legislation. The driver, a 38-year-old Russian national living in Cannes, and his 31-year-old Belarusian passenger, who resides in nearby Cap-d’Ail, told the court the knives had been purchased recently at a shop in Cap-d’Ail and insisted they had no intention of using them as weapons.
According to their statements, the pair had travelled to Monaco that evening simply to buy drinks at a local supermarket. The Belarusian passenger claimed he had forgotten the knife was still in the car, while the driver argued he frequently carries knives when travelling because he often eats on the move.
Prosecutors, however, questioned that explanation, pointing out that the blades were easily accessible inside the vehicle rather than stored safely. The public prosecutor’s office argued that the knives could not reasonably be described as simple domestic tools and noted that, in certain circumstances, such items could prove dangerous.
While the prosecution initially requested a two-month suspended prison sentence along with a five-year ban from entering Monaco, the court ultimately opted for a more lenient approach.
Taking into account the defendants’ cooperation and expressions of regret, the judge imposed a fine of €300 each. The court nevertheless warned that carrying similar items again in the Principality could lead to significantly harsher penalties.