United States
NYPD Fails to Find Most Seized Firearms, Lacks Gun Control, Says Audit
Newsday (New York)
2 July 2008
The New York City Police Department can't keep track of the guns it seizes, according to a report issued yesterday. New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson Jr. referred to the NYPD's current system of holding surrendered and confiscated firearms as unacceptable and demanded immediate improvements after announcing yesterday the results of his audit in lower Manhattan. In June of last year, Thompson's audit gauged whether... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya, Africa
African Nations Collaborate to Prioritise Crackdown on Gun Trafficking
Nation (Nairobi)
10 June 2008
African countries will develop a combined approach to deal with the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons, an African Union (AU) official said on Monday. AU director for peace and security department Geofrey Mugumya said African heads of states were committed to combating the problem jointly to help in taming internal conflicts which have torn apart some countries. Addressing journalists on the AU commission... ( gunpolicy.org )
Angola
Citizens Voluntarily Hand Over 787 Guns Prior to 'Coercive Phase' in Angola
Angola Press Agency (Luanda)
3 June 2008
SAURIMO -- About 787 firearms were handed over voluntarily, by citizens illegally owning them, to the National Police in the north-east Lunda Sul province since the beginning of the disarming process last April. According to the spokesperson of the provincial command of the Police in Lunda Sul, told ANGOP this Tuesday that the weapons were handed over in the districts of Saurimo with 440, Muconda with 136, Cacolo with 107 and Dala... ( gunpolicy.org )
Sudan
Taking Civilians' Guns by Force Will Not Improve Security in South Sudan
Sudan Tribune (France), Opinion
2 June 2008
In response to decades of armed violence and cattle rustling, the Government of South Sudan (GoSS) is planning a campaign to forcibly collect firearms from southern citizens. Government officials' motivations are understandable. Endemic pastoralist violence is reaching dangerous levels and there are widespread suspicions of outside support for the perpetrators as part of efforts to scupper the fragile north-south peace process. But coercive... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Where Illegal Guns Can Do No More Harm: New York Destroys Them All
New York Times
2 June 2008
In New York City, where taking illegal handguns off the streets is high on the mayor's agenda, thousands of firearms make it into the hands of law enforcement officers each year. Once they've been seized in crimes, whether after long and ignominious careers or short but violent ones, and once their owners have been prosecuted, the guns must be destroyed, never to be used again. The New York field office of the federal Bureau... ( gunpolicy.org )
Europe, United States, United Nations
NATO Hosts Conference on Global Threat Posed by Proliferation of Guns
Xinhua
29 May 2008
BRUSSELS -- A three-day international conference opened at the NATO headquarters on Wednesday to address the global threat posed by the proliferation, illicit trade and use of small arms and light weapons (SALW). The meeting, co-sponsored by the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council countries and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, focuses on strengthening the role of regional organizations in addressing the threat.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Europe, United States, United Nations
Europe Hosts OSCE / NATO Forum on Global Threat of Illicit Firearms
United Press International
28 May 2008
BRUSSELS -- A forum being held in Brussels is designed to promote greater cooperation on deterring the global threat posed by the illicit small arms and weapons trade. The three-day conference, which began Wednesday, has brought together security experts from around the world to discuss how to coordinate and harmonize a response to the small arms and light weapons threat. The Synergy Conference for Regional Organizations... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya, East Africa
Concern Over Increase in Illegal Guns After Post-Poll Violence in Kenya
IRIN (UN News)
26 May 2008
NAIROBI -- Very little has been done to check the increase in illegal guns in parts of Kenya that were hardest hit by the post-election crisis, an official of a peace and development NGO said on 23 May. "The small arms problem is bigger at this point than at any other time in our country's history, especially owing to the post-election violence, which created new markets for illegal arms more than ever before," Mutuku Nguli, chief... ( gunpolicy.org )
Angola
Gun Amnesty Collects 1,654 Illegal Firearms for Destruction in Angola
Angola Press Agency (Luanda)
15 May 2008
UIGE -- Some 1,654 fire-arms of various types were handed over voluntarily, by citizens owning them illegally, to the National Police in the northern Uige Province, from April up to the present date, said Thursday the province's deputy governor for organisation and technical services, Miguel Cutoca. Speaking to ANGOP, Miguel Cutoca, who is also coordinator of the provincial commission for disarmament, said that during this period... ( gunpolicy.org )
Solomon Islands
Solomons Government to Meet Compensation Claims from Gun Owners
Radio New Zealand International (Pacific shortwave)
14 May 2008
The Solomon Islands government says it will decide on compensation claims by legal firearms owners who surrendered weapons during the disarmament campaign in 2003. When the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) intervened after years of armed social unrest, the ruling government then ordered a nationwide disarmament of both legal and illegal firearms holders. The Prime Minister Dr Derek Sikua has confirmed... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda, Kenya, East Africa
East African Nations Team Up to Curb Gun Smuggling, Trafficking
Monitor (Kampala)
5 May 2008
MBALE --Security chiefs from Uganda and Kenya have stepped up efforts to end persistent arms trafficking along the common border. Last week, Uganda's and Kenya's joint border commissioners met in Mbale to fine-tune plans to stop the vice. The Minister for Presidency, Dr Beatrice Wabudeya, also attended the meeting at Mbale Resort Hotel. According to the army, the strategy is aimed at reducing gun-flow across the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Angola
Another 668 Civilian Guns Voluntarily Surrendered for Destruction In Angola
Angola Press Agency (Luanda)
14 April 2008
LUBANGO -- Six hundred and 68 firearms were handed over voluntarily by citizens, last March, to the command of the National Police in central Huíla province, in light of the process of disarming the civil population, underway in the country, ANGOP learnt from an official source. The assistant co-ordinator of the provincial sub-commission of disarmament, 1st superintendent Feliciano António explained at a press conference that... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, Afghanistan, China, Albania, Iraq
US Offers 22yr-old Miami Man $300m for Old, Often Dud Afghan War Ammo
New York Times
27 March 2008
Since 2006, when the insurgency in Afghanistan sharply intensified, the Afghan government has been dependent on American logistics and military support in the war against Al Qaeda and the Taliban. But to arm the Afghan forces that it hopes will lead this fight, the American military has relied since early last year on a fledgling company led by a 22-year-old man whose vice president was a licensed masseur. With the award... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Ugandan Army Seizes Guns, Aims to Curb Illegal Arms Trade, Smuggling
New Vision (Kampala)
26 March 2008
There are clandestine markets dealing in small arms and light weapons along Uganda's borders, the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Aronda Nyakairima, has said. Nyakairima said the weapons were being used in criminal activities against both civilians and security agents. "We are aware that there are some well established markets that sell small arms and light weapons along Uganda's borders and trading routes. All these help... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom, England & Wales
'Chaos, Gross Incompetence' Found in North Wales Police Gun Destruction
BBC News
19 March 2008
Serious failings in the handling of weapons given to North Wales Police by the public for safe disposal have been highlighted in an internal report. It said it was impossible to determine how many weapons had been destroyed and that there is no national policy on how the police should handle such weapons. The BBC has seen details of the report which was completed last year. The force said it regretted poor record... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
California Blacksmith Melts, Converts 1,000 Guns into Artwork, 'Gun Coffin'
San Francisco Chronicle
17 March 2008
After Heath Maddox's father died unexpectedly in 2006, Maddox was clearing out his dad's belongings when he found a surprise: a U.S. military-issued .45-caliber handgun wrapped in a towel and tucked into a kitchen drawer. Maddox vaguely recalled a story about his grandfather owning the gun, but he wasn't sure why, or how, it turned up in his father's kitchen. Yet on a recent Friday evening, two years after the discovery,... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom, Scotland
Scots Police Destroy 'Huge Cache' of Confiscated Firearms, Imitation Guns
BBC News
14 March 2008
Firearms surrendered to the police are being destroyed in an operation taking place in Edinburgh. About 800 weapons have been handed over to Lothian and Borders Police over the past six months. The cache includes shotguns, air weapons, replica guns and other imitation weapons. Friday's operation will see the guns destroyed using specialist cutting equipment before being taken away for disposal. Assistant... ( gunpolicy.org )
Angola
Angolan Government, NGOs Warn Civilians to Surrender Their Illegal Guns
Angola Press Agency (Luanda)
6 March 2008
LUANDA -- Every country, after going through an armed conflict, must proceed with the collection of weapons and ammunitions that are illegally under the possession of its citizens, as a means of guaranteeing stability and security of the population, as well as a reduction in crimes. The conclusion came from the International Workshop on the Disarmament of Citizens Illegally Owning Firearms, promoted from Tuesday to Wednesday by... ( gunpolicy.org )
Angola
Angolan Govt Will Disarm Civilians, Then Destroy or Recirculate Their Guns
Angola Press Agency (Luanda)
6 March 2008
LUANDA -- The programme of disarming of civilians in illegal possession of weapons will take four phases, which will help outline consistent plans for a successful operation. This was said Wednesday in Luanda by the Home minister, Roberto Leal Monteiro "Ngongo", while addressing the closing of the two-day workshop on disarming of civilians in unlawful possession of firearms. According to the minister, the first phase will... ( gunpolicy.org )
Angola, Central Africa
Angola, UNDP Discuss Disarmament of Citizens Illegally Owning Firearms
Angola Press Agency (Luanda)
6 March 2008
LUANDA -- The co-ordinator of UNDP's Small Arms Control Programme in Central America, Miguel Barreiro Laredo Thursday considered positive the International Workshop on the Disarmament of Citizens Illegally Owning Firearms, held from March 04 to 05 in Luanda. Speaking to ANGOP at Luanda's "04 de Fevereiro" International Airport, on his way to Spain, Miguel Laredo said that during the event an important political desire was showed... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kosovo
Gun Destruction Programme Targets 400,000 Illegal Weapons in Kosovo
SEESAC (Belgrade) / BBC Monitoring Service, KosovaLive, Transcript
5 March 2008
Although different organizations evaluate that there are more than 400,000 illegal weapons in Kosova [Kosovo], the high officers of the Kosova Police Service (ShPK) say that Kosova is a very safe country and that the citizens do not have to worry over this issue. These comments were made during the signing of the handover of documents of the support for ShPK by international organizations and diplomatic offices, for the establishment... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
As Street Values Rise, US Gun Thieves, Interstate Gun Runners Get Bolder
Virginian-Pilot (Virginia)
4 March 2008
Most of us know the gun debate as a war of words -- a battle of sound bites between this side and that. The real front lines are on the streets, where good guns try to hold back the bad ones, and no one takes the time to hold rallies, give speeches or argue about the Second Amendment. There, the struggle is as intense as ever. "In so many murders and robberies, the weapon of choice is a gun," said Norfolk Police... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Seizing Guns Daily from 'Armed and Prohibited' List, California Can't Keep Up
Contra Costa Times (California)
4 March 2008
PINOLE -- A heavy afternoon rain blurs the sky as three black SUVs pull up across from a one-story stucco house on Pinole Valley Road. The man inside just turned 60 and recently was placed under a psychiatric hold as a suicide risk, one of the five state agents says. Records show that he owns 15 guns, including two assault weapons. Under state law, he must give them up for five years. He has not. "This guy could have a... ( gunpolicy.org )
Brazil
Brazil Gun Deaths Outpaced Births: Gun Buyback Saw 8% Homicide Drop
ISN Security Watch (Switzerland), Web Page
28 February 2008
Results from a recently released study that measured population growth and homicides in Brazil between 1996 and 2006 revealed that homicides dropped by eight percent between 2003 and 2006, a time period that overlaps with a nationwide gun buy-back program during which nearly 500,000 firearms were removed from circulation. Gun buy-back programs have met with mixed success in Latin America, but according to the study, authored by... ( gunpolicy.org )
Congo (ROC)
Congolese Troops Collect, Destroy Surplus Guns, Ammunition, Explosives
IRIN (UN News)
28 February 2008
BRAZZAVILLE -- Armed forces in the Republic of Congo have begun to collect and destroy all weapons abandoned on battlegrounds in the country's civil war that began in 1997, as well as munitions that had expired but were still in armouries. The move follows President Denis Sassou Nguesso's declaration that 2008 would be "a year without illegal weapons in Congo". "Our duty is to collect and destroy all the equipment abandoned... ( gunpolicy.org )
Burundi
Burundi Police Search House-to-house in Campaign to Disarm Civilians
Burundi Réalités (Bujumbura)
15 February 2008
BUJUMBURA -- The police have continued the ongoing process of disarming civilians in different quarters of Bujumbura. Today, the police carried out a house-to-house search in Buyenzi commune. The police caught two grenades and many smuggled objects. The police are determined to continue this disarmament although there is a commission with the same aims. This commission was set up in 2006 but the lack of funds thwarted its activities.... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
California Gun Buyback Nets 1,000 Assault Weapons, Handguns for Smelter
San Francisco Chronicle
10 February 2008
Soon after Oakland streets again exploded in violence, police collected more than 1,000 handguns and assault weapons Saturday in three no-questions-asked buyback events. State Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland, who was carjacked at gunpoint Dec. 29 in North Oakland, was the first to surrender a gun. He gave police the handgun he bought 15 years ago after receiving death threats during his fight to ban assault weapons.... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Californians Line Up to Surrender Assault Weapons, Pistols in Gun Buyback
Mercury News (California)
10 February 2008
OAKLAND -- State Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata was the first among hundreds of people Saturday to turn in a gun, kicking off the "One Less Gun" voluntary gun buyback program. The event caused heavy traffic in east, west and central Oakland as people pulled up at buyback locations with trunk loads of assault weapons. Others stood in long lines that stretched for several city blocks, waiting to turn in handguns. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Oakland, California Gun Buyback Sends Hundreds of Weapons to Furnace
Oakland Tribune / AP
10 February 2008
OAKLAND, California -- Hundreds of guns are set to be melted down following an Oakland gun buyback held hours after two more victims died in a shooting in the violence-plagued city. The Saturday event organized by Democratic state Sen. Don Perata had enough funding to take in 300 guns for $250 a piece but ran out of money as people arrived to turn in trunkloads of assault weapons. Oakland police issued vouchers for guns... ( gunpolicy.org )
Japan
Japanese Police Visit 65,000 Gun Owners, Declare 90 Unfit to Own Firearms
Daily Yomiuri (Japan)
8 February 2008
Ninety gun owners were ordered to return their gun licenses and 145 firearms as of Jan. 31, after being judged unfit to possess them under police inspections conducted in the wake of a shooting rampage in Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture, in December, it has been learned. The inspections were conducted nationwide by prefectural police headquarters on people who possess hunting guns -- shotguns and rifles -- and air guns. The... ( gunpolicy.org )
Croatia
Croatia Begins Destruction of 25,000 Surplus, Unsaleable Military Guns
SEESAC (Belgrade) / BBC Monitoring Service (Vjesnik), Transcript
4 February 2008
Croatia has launched the biggest action to date to destroy surplus military weapons. More than 25,000 articles of small and light weaponry that the Croatian Army no longer needs are going to be cut up and converted into secondary raw materials in it this year alone. Because the weapons are not serviceable, it is not possible to sell or donate them. The destruction programme has been underway since 21 January in the Armed Forces... ( gunpolicy.org )
Croatia
Croatia Racks Up Points for EU Entry by Destroying 25,000 Surplus Guns
SEESAC (Belgrade) / BBC Monitoring Service / HINA, Transcript
1 February 2008
Croatia's Defence Ministry and Armed Forces organized the biggest annihilation of surplus small military arms and light weapons to date, with 7,500 pieces destroyed by January 31, the ministry said in a statement on Thursday [31 January]. The destruction of 25,000 pieces of various weapons began on January 21 and was carried out within the UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and... ( gunpolicy.org )
Angola
Angola Plans 'Guns for Development' Weapon Collection, Destruction
Angola Press Agency (Luanda)
30 January 2008
LUANDA -- Angolan Home minister, Roberto Leal Monteiro "Ngongo", said Wednesday in Luanda that his institution will intensify actions to disarm the civilian population. Speaking in an interview with the State-controlled "Rádio Nacional de Angola" broadcasting station, the official said the Interior Ministry has for that purpose defined three phases for the process. He mentioned sensitising and organisation (including a... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan Legislates for Gun, Ammunition Amnesty, Buyback, Destruction
BBC Monitoring Service / Interfax, Transcript
15 January 2008
The law on buying firearms, ammunition and explosives that are in illegal possession of population, if people voluntarily hand over these weapons, comes into force as of 1 January 2008, the head of the Kazakh Interior Ministry's press service, Bagdat Kozhakhmetov has said. "With the aim of ensuring public safety and preventing crimes committed with the use of firearms, the law stipulating buying firearms, ammunition and explosives... ( gunpolicy.org )
Peru, United Nations
Peru's Gun Control Agency, UN Make Plans to Incinerate 35,000 Guns
Living in Peru (Lima), Web Page
15 January 2008
Abiding by international peace and disarmament policies, the Peruvian General Directorate for the Control of Security Services, Guns, Ammunitions and Explosives for Civil Use (DICSCAMEC) is to incinerate 35,240 firearms within the next several months. Since DICSCAMEC depends on Peru's Ministry of the Interior, it is waiting for the Ministry to define the date on which the firearms will be destroyed, said the general director of... ( gunpolicy.org )
Yemen
Shootings Decline as Yemen Bans Gun Carrying, Destroys 62,000 Firearms
Yemen Observer
5 January 2008
The campaign to ban carrying weapons has achieved positive results in the governorate of Marib, whose officials seized 40,845 weapons at security checkpoints. Those caught with weapons were prevented from entering the city, said the security director of the Marib governorate, Colonel Mohammad al-Ghadra. "The total number of crimes declined during the implementation of the campaign, from 160 reported crimes compared with 183 crimes... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda, Sudan
Disarmament Crisis Over Rising Gun Trade in Uganda's Karamoja Region
Monitor (Kampala)
31 December 2007
The Government's hopes to get rid of illicit arms in the volatile Karamoja region have suffered a setback following new reports of serious re-armament that is threatening to outstrip disarmament efforts. The failure has been attributed to increased gun trafficking in the area, a profitable business involving even some of the local leaders who bribe authorities to smuggle guns from neghbouring districts. Citing a recent... ( gunpolicy.org )
Argentina
Argentina Destroys 70,000 Guns Under Buyback, Civilian Disarmament Plan
Xinhua
27 December 2007
BUENOS AIRES -- The Argentine government has destroyed 70,000 guns collected from civilians as part of the National Voluntary Gun Handover Plan, local media reported Wednesday. Andres Meiszner, director of the National Arms Register with the justice ministry, said the plan offered up to 150 U.S. dollars per gun in reward and guaranteed the anonymity for those who handed over the guns, starting from July 10. He said that... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda, United Nations, Myanmar
UN Gun Destruction Scheme Contributes to Human Rights Abuse in Uganda
America's 1st Freedom, Jan 2008 / National Rifle Association of America, Opinion
20 December 2007
While the United Nations works diligently to curb the Second Amendment rights of Americans, it is turning a blind eye to abused Karamojong tribesmen fighting a brutal government to keep their only means of self-defense. International gun prohibition groups are working hard and successfully to push an Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) through the United Nations. They claim that the reason the treaty is needed is that arms are often used to... ( gunpolicy.org )
Colombia
18,000 AK-47s, Other Guns, Ammunition Destroyed in Colombia [Espanol]
El Pais (Espana)
15 December 2007
[Translated summary: 18,000 guns and 2.7 million rounds of ammunition have been melted down in Colombia. A peace sculpture will be created from the residue]. BOGOTA -- Colombia vivió ayer un gran día de reconciliación. La fundición de más de 18.000 armas entregadas tras el proceso de desmovilización de las Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC) fue la guinda de un proceso de paz que terminó el año pasado. La cita fue en la... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ukraine, Europe
Ukraine Destroys 17,000 Guns with Assistance from European Union
SEESAC (Belgrade) / BBC Monitoring / UNIAN (Kiev)
14 December 2007
Ukraine has destroyed 17,000 pieces of light weaponry with EU assistance. A total of 27,700 guns are planned be destroyed. This has been reported in the fourth EU report on the implementation of the EU strategy to combat the threats associated with the illicit accumulation and trafficking of small arms and light weapons [SALW] and their ammunition, adopted by the European Council. According to the document obtained by UNIAN,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ethiopia
Ethiopia Destroys 10,000 Illegal Handguns Seized, Surrendered to Police
Sudan Tribune
8 December 2007
ADDIS ABABA -- The Ethiopia Authorities today said, they have set 13,000 illicit small arms on fire which are recovered by the police over the past year in an on going effort to curb the proliferation of illegal weapons in the horn of Africa and the Great lakes region. Addis Ababa police, in a statement released on Friday, said the fire arms have been recovered from criminals, gang groups and from voluntarily surrendered by members... ( gunpolicy.org )
Caribbean, United States
Caribbean Nations, US Pledge to Combat Illicit Gun Trafficking in Region
US State Department (Washington, DC), Media release
3 December 2007
Today, the United States and Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Member States pledged to enhance regional cooperation to prevent, combat, and eradicate the illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons in the region. Illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons poses a serious threat to the security of the Western Hemisphere because this thriving black market provides weapons to terrorist groups, drug traffickers, gangs, and other... ( gunpolicy.org )
Caribbean, United States
US, Caribbean Nations Agree to Pool Gun Control Efforts, Curb Trafficking
Miami Herald / AP
3 December 2007
WASHINGTON -- The United States and members of the Caribbean Community have agreed to pool their efforts toward combating the smuggling of small arms, light weapons and ammunition within the Western Hemisphere, the U.S. State Department said Monday. Officials agreed to improve import and export controls; promote the tracing of recovered firearms and ammunition; advocate the destruction of obsolete and excess national stockpiles;... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
San Francisco Gun Buyback Reaps Plaudits, Assault Weapons for Furnace
Associated Press
2 December 2007
Armed citizens packing everything from an AK-47 assault rifle to a couple of sawed-off shotguns and enough antique pistols to set a collector's heart racing massed across the street from San Francisco's City Hall on Saturday -- but pulling triggers was the furthest thing from anybody's mind. They came to dump the weapons so these firearms could be forever kept from falling into the hands of criminals. Or from killing someone during... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
San Francisco Buyback Attracts Gun Enthusiast for Quick Profit, PR Plug
Associated Press
1 December 2007
SAN FRANCISCO -- A man carrying a semiautomatic handgun approached a group of San Francisco police officers Saturday afternoon and, with a smile, handed over the pistol in exchange for $150 in gift cards. "I used to fire it at bottles or do some plinking in the woods," said the gun's owner, 48-year-old Bruce Bourne. "But I have a 6-year-old daughter now and my wife was uncomfortable with it being in the house." For a few... ( gunpolicy.org )
Namibia, Angola, Southern Africa
Police Destroy 3 Tonnes of Illegal Firearms, Ammunition in Southern Africa
Namibian (Windhoek)
26 November 2007
WINDHOEK -- Three tonnes of illegal firearms and ammunition collected during a joint police operation in northern Namibia and south Angola were destroyed in the desert near Walvis Bay on Friday. According to the operation's co-ordinator, Oshana Regional Police Commander Ndahangapo Kashihakumwa, Operation Mandume was the first operation of its kind and magnitude in Namibia and involved the police of Namibia, Angola and South Africa.... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Cleveland Police Take 421 Guns off Streets in Firearm Gift Card Buyback
Cleveland Plain Dealer (Ohio)
11 November 2007
A line of cars stretched three city blocks in downtown Cleveland on Saturday while people waited to swap their guns for money. More than 350 people went to the Convention Center to exchange handguns for a $100 gift card to BP or Dave's supermarket. Cleveland police collected 421 weapons. As part of the program, officers did not ask questions about the guns during the five-hour event. Officials said they... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda, United Nations
Ugandan Military Explodes Tonnes of Old Munitions with UN, US Help
ReliefWeb, Media release
8 November 2007
KINSHASA, Uganda -- UNV volunteers have helped the Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces to blow up more than 460 tonnes of decommissioned, redundant and obsolete ammunition and ordinances. The event was the largest of its kind in the country and comprised an assortment of bombs, rockets, grenades, shells and bullets that were destroyed in a series of massive explosions of 10-15 tonnes of material at a time. UNV helped organise... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Tennessee Cops Recycled Crime Gun to Dealer, Gun Show, Then to Murder
WKRN-TV News (Tennessee)
1 November 2007
NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Every year, thousands of guns are sold in Tennessee. The state requires a background check before any firearm can be sold. In early October, 70-year-old Classie Wilson was shot and killed at her Cahal Avenue market in east Nashville. A 14-year-old is charged in her murder. The Metro Nashville Police Department traced the gun the teen used in the killing to Maury County. The gun... ( gunpolicy.org )
Cambodia
Cambodians Turn 2,377 Surrendered Guns Into One Public Sculpture
CCTV News (China)
31 October 2007
A group of artists in Cambodia has unveiled its latest creation -- a snake sculpture made of decommissioned weapons. The artists have been hard at work since March 2007 -- hammering, sawing and welding the weapons into a large sculpture in the shape a mythological cobra. The cobra is revered as the original ancestor of the Khmer people. The rusted AK47s and other small arms were surrendered by residents of Cambodia's Battambang... ( gunpolicy.org )
Afghanistan
Amid Fears of a Taliban Resurgence, Militias, Afghani Civilians Hoard Guns
New York Times
28 October 2007
KABUL, Afghanistan -- Many former militia commanders and residents in northern Afghanistan have been hoarding illegal weapons in violation of the country's disarmament laws, giving the excuse that they face a spreading Taliban insurgency from the south that government forces alone are too frail to stop, Afghan and Western officials say. After years of moderate success for government disarmament programs, rumors of widespread defiance... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, United Nations, Iraq, World
US Small Arms Policy: Having It Both Ways - Susan Waltz [Part 1 of 2]
World Policy Journal, Summer 2007;24:2:67-80 (USA)
19 October 2007
"An essential element of the success of the U.S. program is its export control laws and regulations. These laws are internationally recognized as the most robust and effective in the world.... [At the 2006 UN Review Conference on Small Arms] the United States will make the case that its laws, practices and enforcement procedures are effective models other nations should follow." -- Assistant Secretary of State John Hillen, Baltimore... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, United Nations, Iraq, World
US Small Arms Policy: Having It Both Ways - Susan Waltz [Part 2 of 2]
World Policy Journal, Summer 2007;24:2:67-80 (USA)
19 October 2007
[Continued from Part 1 of 2] Prying Open the Door Covert actions provide an additional, separate legal channel for shadow transfers. The statutory underpinnings for such operations, including weapons transfers, are found in the National Security Act, incorporated into Title 50 of the U.S. Code under the heading of War and National Defense. (The Arms Export Control Act and the Foreign Assistance Act, by contrast, are included... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, United Nations, Iraq, World
US Small Arms Policy: Having It Both Ways - World Policy Journal
World Policy Journal, Summer 2007;24:2:67-80 (USA)
19 October 2007
Does United States policy indeed represent the gold standard for export controls on small arms, as often asserted? Recent events suggest that it is time for a fresh look at this common claim. Ten years ago the United States and its European partners began to grapple with new realities about the proliferation of small arms. In the early 1990s, the forces that dissolved the Soviet Union also pried locks off the central warehouses... ( gunpolicy.org )
Mozambique
Mozambique Christian Council Has Now Collected, Destroyed 700,000 Guns
Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo)
7 October 2007
MAPUTO -- The Christian Council of Mozambique (CCM), the umbrella body for the mainstream Protestant churches, says that it has collected about 700,000 firearms since launching its project to "Transform Guns into Hoes", a modern version of the biblical injunction to turn swords into ploughshares. The CCM initiative was launched shortly after the end of the war of detabilisation in 1992. Speaking to AIM on Thursday, during... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, United Nations, World
US Partners With UN, Destroys 2.5 Million Guns, Small Arms World-wide
USINFO (US State Department), Web Page
1 October 2007
WASHINGTON -- Left unattended, even small stockpiles of surplus and obsolete AK-47 assault rifles, grenade launchers and shoulder-fired missiles could be stolen and used to fuel regional conflicts. In Afghanistan, the Taliban have been launching shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles against Western aircraft. In 2003, a German DHL cargo plane taking off from Baghdad International Airport for Bahrain was struck by a shoulder-fired... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Phoenix Drops Proposal to Sell Crime Guns Back Into Second-hand Market
Arizona Republic
22 September 2007
Phoenix police won't be selling seized guns after all. Vice Mayor Dave Siebert on Friday withdrew his controversial proposal to sell guns to fund the Silent Witness program, which pays rewards for tips leading to arrests. "The whole reason for this discussion was to fund Silent Witness," Siebert said. "If I can find better ways to fund it, I don't have a problem with that at all." Earlier this week, Siebert had... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Police Chiefs Blast Gun Show Loophole, Urge Public Health Approach
Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Washington)
19 September 2007
The International Association of Chiefs of Police issued a report Wednesday that calls for stronger gun laws and urges law enforcement agencies to better educate the public about gun violence and to form more partnerships with public health officials in preventing firearms-related deaths. The organization, which includes police executives from around the country, made 39 recommendations in the report, intended as a guide in countering... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South African Police Lost 3,800 Guns Last Year, Destroyed 160,000 - Report
Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg) / SAPA
18 September 2007
CAPE TOWN -- The police lost over 1,500 more firearms during the past financial year than they did during the previous year, says the Auditor General. In an audit contained in the South African Police Service 2006/07 annual report, he found 3,856 firearms were reported "lost, stolen or robbed from personnel throughout the country" during the 12 months up to March 31 this year. In 2005/6, a total of 2,297 firearms were reported... ( gunpolicy.org )
Cambodia
Cambodia to Destroy Thousands More Unwanted Guns in 'Flame of Peace'
AHN News (Florida)
17 September 2007
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia -- The Japanese Assistance Team for Small Arms Management in Cambodia announced on Monday the destruction of thousands of small firearms collected from various provinces in Cambodia. The group, also called JSAC, said they will burn 7,000 small arms under the "flame of peace" program on September 19. In a statement, JSAC said the arms were collected in the Battambang province, while some were surrendered... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Gun Bounty, Crime Gun Tipsters' Line, Firearm Buyback Launched in Florida
Times-Union (Florida)
11 September 2007
BRUNSWICK -- Glynn County police are taking aim at gun violence with a reward program targeting illegal firearms and people who use a gun to commit a crime. Beginning today, police will pay a $1,000 bounty to people "who report a gun that was unlawfully obtained, or who report someone who used a gun in a crime," Police Chief Matt Doering told the Times-Union. "I want to target guns specifically that we have a problem with.... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
NY Fashion Show: Machine Gun, Seized Pistols Now Gun Control Jewellery
Philadelphia Inquirer (Pennsylvania)
10 September 2007
NEW YORK -- After reading about yet another murder of a young girl last spring, aspiring designer Melanie C. Brandon wanted to find a symbolic way to dispose of the guns that she felt were the cause of Philadelphia's soaring murder rate. So she turned to what she knew: fashion. The spring 2008 collection of Brandon's clothing line Melani Von Alexandria, which debuted at a SoHo art gallery Thursday as part of New York's... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Police Destroy 400 Seized Firearms, Imitation Guns in Northamptonshire
BBC News
10 September 2007
More than 400 guns handed in or seized by police in Northamptonshire over the past year have been destroyed. The haul was made up of real firearms and imitation guns, all of which have now been shredded at a scrap yard. Some of the weapons were confiscated by police while others were handed in by owners or collectors during weapons' amnesties. Chief Insp Sean Bell said that with the weapons taken off the streets,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Afghanistan, World
Gun Control in Afghanistan: UN/US-led Effort to Retrieve 10 Million Weapons
Ottawa Citizen (Ontario), Opinion
6 September 2007
Once heralded as a success story in the global war on terror, Afghanistan is reaching a tipping point. In spite of desperate efforts by western governments to contain spiraling violence outside of Kabul, more than 4,400 Afghans were killed in 2006, many of them by gunfire. Although NATO troops are struggling to put down the Taliban-led insurgency, efforts to regulate and collect the tools of war must be redoubled. Recent news that... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Uganda Restricts Gun Imports by Private Security Firms Following Leakage
New Vision (Kampala)
29 August 2007
KAMPALA -- The Government has restricted the import of firearms by private security organisations in a bid to control the number of guns brought into the country. Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura, the Inspector General of Police, said some of the guns that were imported were sold to private citizens. "From around 1996, it became a fashion for some wealthy people to own pistols. If you did not possess one, you were seen as someone... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Veteran Canadian Cop Arrested for Leaking, Trafficking Police Amnesty Guns
Calgary Herald (Alberta)
17 August 2007
Calgary police have laid criminal charges against an 18-year veteran of the service who allegedly bought 51 firearms that were supposed to be turned over and destroyed during last fall's provincial gun amnesty. Investigators arrested Const. Dean Pankewicz on Thursday and charged him with breach of trust, hazardous storage of a firearm, unauthorized possession of a firearm, trafficking firearms and possession for the purpose of trafficking.... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Crowds Rush Alabama Gun Buyback, Police Chiefs Use Own Money to Pay
Press-Register (Mobile)
12 August 2007
Operation Safe Gun opened for business shortly before 10 a.m. Saturday with $10,000 in Wal-Mart gift certificates, or enough to buy and remove 100 firearms from Mobile area streets and homes. In the next three hours, Mobile Police Chief Phillip Garrett and members of his staff made seven frantic trips to Wal-Mart, each time using their own money to buy more $100 gift certificates and feed the frenzy of gun-selling taking place at... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
Firearms in Australia: a Parliamentary Library Guide to Electronic Resources
Parliamentary Library, Federal Parliament of Australia, Web Page
6 August 2007
Introduction On 28 April 1996, 35 people were killed and 18 others were wounded at Port Arthur in Tasmania by an assailant using a semi-automatic rifle. In response, The Australasian Police Ministers' Council convened a special meeting on 10 May 1996 and agreed to a national plan for the regulation of firearms -- the Nationwide Agreement on Firearms. This agreement banned self-loading rifles and self-loading and pump-action shotguns,... ( gunpolicy.org )
West Africa, Nigeria
West African Nations Meet Again to Talk Gun Trade Restrictions, Treaty
AfriCast
3 August 2007
ABUJA -- The second Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Small Arms Control Programme Steering Committee takes off in Abuja, Nigeria on August 6 to review progress on the process for ratification of the Convention on Small Arms in the Sub-region. The ECOWAS Small Arms Control Programme (ECOSAP) is a capacity building programme aimed at establishing a sustainable system for the control of small arms and light weapons... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
San Francisco 'Leads the Nation' with Toughest Gun Control Laws - Mayor
San Francisco Sentinel
2 August 2007
San Francisco today has the toughest gun control laws in the nation, Mayor Newsom said Wednesday as he signed a package of legislation into law. With the District Attorney, Police Chief, and City legislators representing districts hard hit by gun violence at his side, Newsom also noted the City's gun buy-back project revived Saturday garnered success beyond expectation. The July 29 Civic Center gun buy-back event retrieved... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
The Great New Orleans Gun Grab: Louisiana NRA Members Write the Book
Advocate (Louisiana)
29 July 2007
About a week and a half after Hurricane Katrina ripped through New Orleans, Eddie Compass, the city's police superintendent, went on national television and promised there would be no guns allowed in the Crescent City. Police, he said, would confiscate all guns. When the policy was implemented, it set off a hot controversy. Gun owners said the police were violating the Constitution's second amendment guarantee of the right to bear... ( gunpolicy.org )
Argentina
Argentina Launches Voluntary Buyback of Firearms [Espanol]
La Nacion (Argentina), Editorial
26 July 2007
La posesión de armas de fuego por la población mayor de edad es objeto de particular preocupación para una ciudadanía consternada ante trágicos episodios de honda repercusión. Esos hechos demostraron una vez más que la tenencia de medios ofensivos y defensivos, como los aludidos, constituye un peligro latente que se convierte en real cuando obran la imprudencia, el descontrol o la súbita descarga agresiva. Para reducir esos riesgos,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Ugandan Govt Destroys 34,000 Rounds of Ammunition Dug Up at Brickworks
New Vision (Kampala)
25 July 2007
About 34,040 bullets were burnt at Kigo Prison yesterday. A team of explosive experts, led by the Anti-Terrorism Unit assistant commissioner of Police, Abas Byakagaba, constructed the six incinerators that were used to destroy the ammunition. The bullets were discovered in September 2006 by a 72-year-old brickmaker, Falasiko Ssentumbwe, the Kakola LC1 defence secretary and his assistant only identified as Mutoro in Kakola village,... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Chicago Buy-back Trashes 6,705 Guns, Assault Weapons: 5,960 Handguns
Chicago Sun-Times
22 July 2007
Maybe it was because of Schanna Gayden, 13, killed in a park, buying fruit at a vendor's cart. Or because of Enrique Chavez, 14, killed in a hail of gunfire while joyriding in his uncle's van. Or maybe the inspiration was Blair Holt, 16, killed by a spray of bullets on a CTA bus. "I think it's all of them -- Siretha White, Starkesia Reed, Terrell Bosley ... The list goes on," First Deputy Supt. Dana Starks said... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
No Mr President, Illegal Guns Have Not Yet Gone Silent in Kenya
East African Standard (Nairobi), Editorial
22 July 2007
The Government is upbeat the war against the proliferation of small arms is about to be won. The President said as much on Friday. His message was laden with optimism and he used the occasion first, cases of banditry in northern Kenya had gone down. Second, he commended the Armed Forces for its role in the recent disarmament programme. Third, and which shows there is still a lot to be done, he again told the peddlers and... ( gunpolicy.org )
Tajikistan
Tajikistan Reports Over 200 Guns Seized in Tajik North in First Half of 2007
SEESAC / BBC Monitoring Service / Asia Plus News, Transcript
22 July 2007
Internal affairs officers in [northern] Sughd Region have confiscated 205 firearms from local residents in the first half of this year. A source in the regional internal affairs directorate told Asia-Plus that the figure was less by 10 compared to the same period of 2006 (215). The source said that among 205 firearms there were three assault rifles, six pistols, nine rifled-barrel guns and 187 smooth-bore guns. "Furthermore,... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Chicago Gun Buy-back Collects Almost 6,000 Handguns, Assault Weapons
Chicago Tribune
21 July 2007
Almost 6,000 handguns and assault weapons were turned over to Chicago police on Saturday in exchange for $100 debit cards, officials said. The third "Don't kill a Dream, Save a Life" program was a "huge success" and the most successful attempt at taking guns off the street, said police spokeswoman Monique Bond. "In light of the recent tragedies with so many young people's lives being taken, I think that people are starting to recognize... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
Kenyan Military 'Forcefully Collected' 3,000 Guns in North Rift Disarmament
East African Standard (Nairobi)
19 July 2007
The Government has recovered more than 3,200 illegal firearms in North Rift. Rift-Valley Provincial Commissioner Mr Hassan Noor Hassan said about 3,000 assortments of guns were forcefully collected during the first phase of the disarmament exercise launched last year. The administrator said residents surrendered the rest of the guns in the second phase of the disarmament. Late last year, Government suspended the exercise... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Savannah, Georgia Offers $2,500 for Tips Leading to Gun Seizure, Arrest
Savannah Morning News (Georgia), Editorial
9 July 2007
The problem with many gun buy-backs is that people bring in the most rickety, non-working firearms imaginable. The guns that bad guys are actually using to commit crimes are rare gems at typical gun buy-back programs. But that might not be the case with the plan just rolled out by the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department and the CrimeStoppers program. That's because the appeal isn't for people to bring... ( gunpolicy.org )
Angola, United States, Africa
US Embassy in Angola Hosts 'Million Weapons' Gun Destruction Day
Angola Press Agency
9 July 2007
LUANDA -- Angola's main ceremony to commemorate the International Guns Destruction Day, marked on 09 July, will be held this Monday in the premises of the United States Embassy in Luanda. The event will commemorate the destruction of a millionth weapons under the North American assistance programme, through which one million arms have already been destroyed worldwide. The symbolic ceremony will take place in six countries... ( gunpolicy.org )
Congo (DRC), United States, United Nations, Africa
US Funds Destruction of a Million Guns, Weapons on 4 Continents [Francais]
Le Potentiel (Kinshasa)
9 July 2007
[Translated summary: The US State Department celebrates UN-led, American-funded small arms destruction programmes which have destroyed almost a million weapons around the world]. KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo -- Pour commémorer les programmes d'aide américains qui ont permis la destruction cumulative de près d'un million d'armes à travers le monde, les Etats-Unis et six autres pays observeront la journée internationale... ( gunpolicy.org )
Angola, United States
US Govt Paid to Destroy Over 600 Tonnes of Guns, Ammunition in Angola
Angola Press Agency
9 July 2007
LUANDA -- More than 327 small arms and 281 tons of unexploded ordnance were destroyed in Angola over the last 12 months, Angop learned Monday in Luanda. The information was supplied by the trade attache of the US embassy to Angola, Francisco Fernandez. The diplomat was addressing the opening of the ceremony of symbolic destruction of the millionth arm, as part of a programme of US assistance that has so far led to the scrapping... ( gunpolicy.org )
Angola, United States, Africa
Angola Hails Millionth Weapon Destroyed in US-funded Gun Burn [Francais]
Angola Press
8 July 2007
[Translated summary: US Embassy in Angola celebrates the one millionth small arm destroyed under a US-funded global United Nations weapon destruction programme]. LUANDA -- Une cérémonie dédiée à la journée du 09 juillet, proclamée comme Journée de la destruction des armes légères et petit calibre se réalisera lundi, à Luanda, aux installations de l'Ambassade des Etats-Unis en Angola. L'acte vise à commémorer... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, United Nations, World
US Celebrates UN Small Arms Destruction Day, Million Weapons Trashed
US Department of State, Media release
5 July 2007
U.S. assistance programs have destroyed more than one million weapons worldwide. To celebrate the event, the United States and six other countries will observe Small Arms Destruction Day on July 9 by helping countries on four continents destroy a symbolic "millionth weapon." These events demonstrate the United States' ongoing commitment to assisting countries recovering from conflict and to taking practical steps to implement the "UN Program... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Ugandan Army Destroys 450 Guns Seized from Karamojong Pastoralists
New Vision (Kampala)
3 July 2007
The Uganda People's Defence Forces on Monday destroyed 452 guns recovered from Karimojong warriors during the disarmament exercise in the region. The function was presided over by Dr Crispus Kiyonga, the defence minister, at Kotido Court Hall. The guns included 355 SFG rifles, 61 self-automatic rifles, nine G3s, 19 NATOs, three Mark Four's and three LMGs. Col. Patrick Kankiriho, the 3rd Division commander, said... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Chicago Confiscates, Destroys Tens of Thousands of Guns Every Year
Chicago Sun-Times, Opinion
1 July 2007
In Chicago, we're doing our part to improve our schools, better manage city government and public transportation and protect our children from gun violence. To keep our progress going, state government must now do its part. It's time to fundamentally reform the way the state funds education and public transit; enact balanced gun legislation, and extend the 7 percent cap on the taxable value of homes. With the Legislature... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Church Campaign Pushes Gun Amnesty, Destruction of Firearms in Uganda
New Vision (Kampala)
28 June 2007
KAMPALA -- The Justice Peace and Human Rights Commission of Arua Diocese has launched a six-month project to fight the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the district. The project officer, David Okello, said the programme funded by the German Technical Services, would encourage the voluntary return of illicit arms through awareness campaigns. He said they would also advocate for the proper use of arms held... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Police, in Breach of Global Treaty, Stop Dumping Guns in Gulf of Mexico
Fox-13 News (Tampa Bay)
26 June 2007
SARASOTA -- With the blessing, they say, of Sarasota Environmental Regulators, it had become a time-tested, un-permitted ritual. Every few months for 30 years, a police boat would be sent 14 miles out into the Gulf of Mexico. Aboard, a deadly cargo, scores of guns taken from criminals, guns headed to Davey Jones' Locker. "Just what you need for street use." said an officer as he tossed an assault rifle into the Gulf. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
Argentina
Argentina Launches National Firearm Buyback to Slow Rising Gun Violence
InterPress Service News Agency
15 June 2007
BUENOS AIRES -- With strong support from peace and disarmament groups and the families of shooting victims, the Argentine government launched a programme Friday that encourages people to voluntarily swap their legal or illegal firearms for cash. The disarmament campaign, similar to one that was carried out in Brazil in 2004, forms part of a comprehensive violence prevention policy, which includes stricter controls on both the legal... ( gunpolicy.org )
Cambodia
Fall in Cambodian Gun Crime Linked to Strict Firearm Controls, Destruction
Deutsche Presse-Agentur
15 June 2007
PHNOM PENH -- Cambodian military officials Friday unveiled decreased gun-related crime rates, saying the government's strict weapons control policy had led to the drop which they claimed benefitted not only Cambodia but the entire region. Officials from the Defence Ministry hosted the conference and released figures from the Working Group on Weapons Reduction which recorded 866 shooting related crimes in Cambodia in 2006, down from... ( gunpolicy.org )
Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Gambia, Senegal
Guinea-Bissau Officials Publicly Burn Hundreds of Illegal Guns [Francais]
Guineeconakry / AGP
14 June 2007
[Translated summary: In Guinea-Bissau, the prefecture of Koumbia publicly incinerated 354 guns and light weapons]. Conakry -- Dans la sous préfecture de Koumbia à Gaoual, les autorités civiles et militaires ont procédé samedi 9 juin dernier, à l'incinération de quelques 354 armes légères. Selon les observateurs, ces armes, circulaient dans les différentes frontières entre la Guinée , le Sénégal, la Gambie et la Guinée... ( gunpolicy.org )
Bosnia & Herzegovina, Afghanistan, Iraq, United States, World
Bosnia's Leftover Guns: Sell, Give to Iraq or Afghanistan, Destroy?
Christian Science Monitor
10 July 2006
SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina -- What's been called the biggest arms transfer since World War II -- the shipping of leftover weapons from Bosnia's 1992-1995 war to combat zones in the Middle East and elsewhere -- may not have come to an end, despite a year-old moratorium on Bosnian arms sales. As a UN conference on small arms wrapped up last week, key policymakers reviewed the UN's 2001 action program to end the illegal arms trade,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canadian Traffickers Sold Smuggled, Rebuilt Machine Guns to Drug Dealers
Vancouver Sun (British Columbia)
8 July 2006
LOWER MAINLAND -- It may have looked like nothing to the casual observer. But when a man pulled a hockey bag from the trunk of a car parked outside Burnaby's Eight Rinks last April 25, it contained three fully automatic MAC 10 machine pistols, each capable of firing 32 bullets in less than 10 seconds. Police later swooped in and seized the weapons in Langley, along with a loaded handgun, as part of an 14-month investigation that... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
NSW Destroys 12,000 Illegal Firearms, Plus 17,000 Buyback Handguns
Post-Courier (Port Moresby)
21 July 2004
SYDNEY -- Two World War II-era sub-machine guns and an Israeli army pistol are among thousands of weapons to be destroyed by NSW police this week. A gun amnesty, which began last October with a national buyback scheme, ended earlier this month after netting more than 12,000 illegal weapons. Of those, 8560 were rifles, 2246 shotguns, 1156 handguns and 113 other weapons, police said. Another 17,000 handguns and 68,000 parts... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
Reversal of NSW Gun Amnesty Caused Budget Blowout in Weapon Buyback
Sydney Morning Herald
20 January 1989
The State Government has spent more than $2.1 million to compensate shooters who were forced to hand in their firearms under legislation introduced by the former Labor administration. This is more than double the amount originally set aside to cover claims for compensation, according to figures obtained by the Herald. The figures show that some 18,600 firearms were handed in during a 10-week amnesty, which was declared in January... ( gunpolicy.org )
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