Perth man charged over illegal weapons

A 31-year-old Perth man faces multiple charges over the importation of hundreds of prohibited weapons including knives, extendable batons and knuckle dusters.

WA police and Australian Border Force officers say some of the weapons were found at international air cargo and mail centres in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney.

A further 200, including flick knives, throwing knives, swords and machetes, were seized when detectives searched the man's suburban Langford home on Thursday.

It will be alleged the man had been selling the weapons, including some at a weekend market in Perth.

He will be charged by the ABF with 12 counts of importing prohibited items, with each count carrying a maximum penalty of a $210,000 fine.

He will also face five state charges of possessing controlled weapons and three of possessing prohibited weapons.

The ABF's WA Superintendent of Enforcement Operations Clint Sims said the seizure of so many weapons was a great outcome for the community.

"Had these weapons found their way onto the streets of Perth and WA they may well have been involved in violent crimes and other antisocial and criminal behaviour," he said.