Gun Policy News
Law enforcement officers and gun policy
First Year of New Australian Firearm Amnesty Nets 17,000 Guns
21 January 2023
Guardian
More than 17,000 weapons, including a Vietnam war-era flamethrower, were surrendered in the first year of Australia's national permanent firearms amnesty.
States and territories struck an agreement with the Commonwealth in 2019 to establish an enduring amnesty allowing gun owners to hand in unregistered, illegal, or unwanted firearms without punishment or investigation.
The amnesty began in mid-2021, after Covid-related delays, aiming to claw back some of the roughly... (GunPolicy.org)
Warrant Issued for Killer Before He Shot Two Australian Police
22 December 2022
Guardian
Queensland police have revealed there was a warrant issued for Nathaniel Train's arrest in the months before he took part in the Wieambilla shootings, but insist there were no "flags" to indicate officers visiting the property were in danger.
Deputy commissioner Tracy Linford said Train's gun licence had been suspended and an arrest warrant issued after he breached Covid-19 restrictions in December 2021.
During that incident, Train had crossed the border from New... (GunPolicy.org)
China, Australia Must Not Turn Solomon Islands Into a Gun State
5 November 2022
Guardian, Opinion
My country once lived in fear of the gun. Thousands of weapons, many stolen from police armouries, fuelled the years of violence known as "the tensions", and disarming the police and population took years. Now, it seems China and Australia want to turn Solomon Islands into a gun state again.
This week Australia announced it would give the Royal Solomon Islands police force 13 vehicles and 60 MK-18 semi-automatic rifles – a move described as a "gamechanger" that... (GunPolicy.org)
'Ghost guns' and 3D printing: Secret arsenals in Australia
4 November 2022
Brisbane Times / Nine
KEY POINTS
- There have been 11 fatal, and 15 non-fatal, shootings in Victoria this year.
- Police have also seized numerous illicit weapons, including a cache of firearms found hidden in a storage container in Melbourne's outer north.
- Many criminals rely on "grey market" guns that should have been relinquished in the 1996 buy-back scheme.
- The use of 3D printing to create weapons is also becoming more sophisticated and common.
In a storage container on a property... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia Donates 60 Rifles to Solomon Islands Police Force
2 November 2022
Guardian
Australia has provided Solomon Islands police with MK18 rifles and vehicles. Photograph: Australian High Commission to Solomon Islands
Australia has announced the donation of police vehicles and 60 MK18 rifles to the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) in a move described as a "game changer" for Australia's relationship with Solomon Islands police.
The announcement comes after a turbulent year in the relationship between Australia and Solomon Islands,... (GunPolicy.org)
Court Suspends Bolsonaro's Gun Law Over Risk of Political Violence
6 September 2022
Plataforma
"O início da campanha eleitoral exaspera o risco de violência política", o que "torna de extrema e excecional urgência a necessidade" de se restringir o acesso às armas e munições", escreveu Fachin.
O juiz disse ter tomado a decisão "à luz dos recentes e lamentáveis episódios de violência política", sem especificar se se referia a eventos nacionais como o assassinato a tiros de um tesoureiro do Partido dos Trabalhadores (PT) por um agente bolsonarista ou... (GunPolicy.org)
More soldiers… and more violence
26 August 2022
El Sol de México
More soldiers… and more violence
Although the deployment of soldiers has increased, homicides have not decreased in the country. In some states with a strong presence of organised crime, such as Durango, Michoacán and Guerrero, the number of soldiers has even decreased.
The deployment of the military has increased during the government of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, but it has not counteracted the violence on Mexican territory, as the number of... (GunPolicy.org)
Dozens of 3D-printed Firearms Sold at Buyback in Houston, Texas
2 August 2022
Fox 26 Houston (Texas)
Houston leaders say they will no longer accept 3D-printed firearms, also known as ghost guns, at future gun buyback events after one man allegedly exchanged dozens of them over the weekend.
"We're going to exclude those next time around," said Mayor Sylvester Turner. "This is a program designed for people who want to voluntarily relinquish their guns."
On Saturday, city officials held their first gun buyback event in Houston. The mayor's office says more than 840... (GunPolicy.org)
NATO Prepared to Intervene in Kosovo
1 August 2022
The Hill (Washington DC)
The NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) is "prepared to intervene if stability is jeopardized" by the Kosovo-Serbia conflict, according to a KFOR statement Sunday.
"KFOR will take whatever measures are necessary to keep a safe and secure environment in Kosovo at all times, in line with its UN mandate," the statement read. KFOR reported that the situation in northern Kosovo is "tense" and under close watch by the force.
Tensions between the two countries have heightened... (GunPolicy.org)
El Salvador Arrests Thousands but Gangs Keep Their Guns
22 July 2022
InSight Crime
Almost four months into a nationwide crackdown, El Salvador's government has failed to disarm its notorious street gangs.
It started at the end of March, when President Nayib Bukele revealed the government's official hashtag: #GuerraContraPandillas, or the 'war against the gangs.' The government boasts it has already arrested more than 45,000 so-called "terrorists," claiming these are almost all suspected members of the infamous Mara Salvatrucha (MS13) street gang, or... (GunPolicy.org)
Jamaica Pushes for Higher Standards of Investigation and Prosecution for Gun Crimes
7 July 2022
The Ministry of National Security
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security, Courtney Williams, says the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) is working to develop and promote higher standards for the investigation and prosecution of trafficking in firearms and related crimes.
While speaking at today's launch of a five-day training workshop, which is being organised by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Williams explained that the proliferation and increased access to illegal... (GunPolicy.org)
'SALIENT Jamaica' To Tackle Small Arms Trafficking
22 June 2022
Jamaica Information Service
The Norwood area in St. James and Denham Town in Kingston stand to benefit from Jamaica's first community violence audit to support the prevention and reduction of gun violence under a United Nations Jamaica joint programme.
The more than $70-million national initiative 'Reducing Small Arms and Light Weapons Joint Programme, also known as SALIENT Jamaica, aims to dismantle the factors that make it possible for the illicit trafficking of firearms and ammunitions into... (GunPolicy.org)
Large Amount of Unregistered Firearms in Bosnia and Herzegovina
7 March 2022
N1
Although it has been thirty years since the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, there is still a large number of unregistered firearms in the country but authorities manage to find and confiscate only a minor share, the police and security agencies in BiH and from abroad have found.
According to data collected and processed by the government's coordinating committee for small arms and light weapons, in 2021 there were 320,000 pieces of various weapons registered in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Dominican Republic,United States
A Rhode Island Man was Arrested for Trafficking the Firearms to the Dominican Republic
9 January 2022
CNN
A Rhode Island man was arrested in New York Thursday for allegedly selling or attempting to sell more than 100 guns that he produced at his home, according to the US Attorney's Office Southern District of New York.
Most of the guns were untraceable "privately made firearms" (PMF's), known as "ghost guns."
Robert Alcantara, 34, was charged with one count of conspiracy to traffic firearms and one count of making false statements, the US Department of Justice said in a... (GunPolicy.org)
Irish National Police to be Disarmed Following Review
11 December 2021
Irish Times (Ireland)
The Garda is dramatically reducing the number of members carrying guns as it moves towards a model of having specialist units act as the force's primary firearms response.
The process began last year after a review of the number of armed members was carried out and it was found that more than a quarter (27 per cent or 3,778 gardaí) were carrying firearms. This was close to the proportion of members who were armed at the height of the Troubles in the 1980s.
The 2019... (GunPolicy.org)
Shootout at Ecuador Prison Leaves at Least 68 Dead
13 November 2021
Los Angeles Times
A prolonged gun battle between rival gangs inside Ecuador's largest prison left at least 68 inmates dead and 25 wounded Saturday, while authorities said it took most of the day to regain control at the Litoral penitentiary, which just weeks ago saw the country's worst prison bloodbath.
The killing erupted before dawn at the prison in the coastal city of Guayaquil in what officials said was the latest outbreak of fighting among prison gangs linked to international drug... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Permits On Hold in Trinidad and Tobago
6 October 2021
Newsday (Trinidad and Tobago)
The police firearms unit at the core of the imbroglio involving former police commissioner Gary Griffith, the now defunct Police Service Commission (PSC) and the leadership of the service, is in "quarantine."
On Saturday, the Prime Minister, during his media briefing at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann's said the firearms department was closed.
"One of the recommendations that came through the plethora was that the the firearms department in the police service (is)... (GunPolicy.org)
Effective Control of Illegal Weapons in Nigeria
23 September 2021
Punch (Nigeria)
The recent transmission by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), of two executive bills to the National Assembly to control arms proliferation and regulate the importation of explosives into the country appears in order. But deeper scrutiny exposes the regime's tactless approach and the helplessness of security forces in curbing arms smuggling into Nigeria. The biggest problem is that in many parts of the country, the Nigerian state has lost its... (GunPolicy.org)
Bosnia and Herzegovina Destroys 1,972 Pieces of Small Arms and Light Weapons
21 September 2021
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
A total of 1,972 pieces of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) were destroyed by the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina on Saturday, 18 September.
The event took place at the Jelšingrad smelter in Banja Luka and represents a continuation of efforts to increase public safety and security, and diminish the risk of SALW proliferation. It was conducted by the SALW Coordination Board of Bosnia and Herzegovina, police agencies, the United Nations Development Programme... (GunPolicy.org)
Alarm Over Growing Use of Weapons at Rallies
27 August 2021
Guardian
A gunfight in Portland, Oregon, last week is intensifying concerns over escalating violence during contentious rallies in the city, as far-right demonstrators and anti-fascist counter-protesters have repeatedly faced off.
The Portland police bureau charged a 65-year-old man from Gresham, Oregon, over a gunfight in the city's downtown during violent clashes on Sunday. Authorities say Dennis Anderson drew a concealed handgun and shot at a group of anti-fascists who were... (GunPolicy.org)
More Guns at the Root of 2020 Murder Increase in US
12 June 2021
Vox
The year 2020 saw the largest recorded increase in homicides in United States history — an increase likely propelled by a complex mix of factors, from more guns to stresses of the pandemic to fewer police officers on the streets to a crisis in relations between police and citizens.
But one persistent theory is that a change in policing last summer primarily drove increased gun violence. This is an especially popular explanation among law enforcement figures. Former... (GunPolicy.org)
Merchants Of Death: Tactics Criminals Use to Smuggle Firearms Into Nigeria
21 May 2021
Punch (Nigeria)
Criminals are hell-bent on making Nigeria unsafe with the diverse methods being used to smuggle firearms into the country. The country is currently battling insurgents, killer herders, robbers, kidnappers and bandits using sophisticated weapons to cause mayhem across states in the country. The security agents have been able to bust some of the gangs and their methods of smuggling firearms into the country while others albeit escaped their eagle eyes. There are viral... (GunPolicy.org)
Arms Trafficking in Togo and Benin
12 May 2021
TogoWeb (Togo)
[Translated text]
Have the Togolese become very active in arms trafficking? After the seizure of 70,000 12-gauge cartridges by the Beninese police, Togo also announced a second seizure of 1,300 cartridges of the same calibre. In both cases, Benin is mentioned as the final destination and the involvement of Togolese.
"On 30 April 2021 at around 1am, the patrol team of the Central Police Station of the city of Lomé stopped a suspicious AUDI car with the registration... (GunPolicy.org)
Spanish Police Bust Clandestine 3D Gun-printing Workshop
18 April 2021
AP
Spanish police said Sunday that they have uncovered the first workshop using a 3D printer to make illegal firearms in the country.
Police said that one person was arrested on Tenerife in the Canary Islands after being linked to the clandestine workshop where the suspect allegedly made assault weapons from 3D printing.
Beside the printer, agents also confiscated the components for 19 weapons made from 3D printing, several knives, chemicals that could be used in... (GunPolicy.org)
Multiple Arrests and Firearms Seized in Australian Police Raids
7 April 2021
Australian Border Force, Media release
Law enforcement agencies across Australia seized 823 firearms last month as part of a national week of action.
Operation Athena, a collaborative and national law enforcement group comprising of police from jurisdictions across Australia with assistance from Federal agencies including Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Australian Border Force (ABF) undertook a national week of action across Australia to target the trafficking and use of illicit firearms.
A number... (GunPolicy.org)
The Dominican Republic To Buy Back Privately Owned Guns
22 March 2021
Telesur (Venezuela)
This policy seeks to reduce the levels of violence associated with the illegal possession of weapons in this Caribbean country.
The Dominican Republic's President Luis Abinader announced that a program to buy illegal weapons will start on April 6 to reduce the violence levels.
Besides the destruction of the weapons, his plan establishes compensation in cash and coupons redeemable for any product in commercial establishments.
It also includes compensation for police,... (GunPolicy.org)
Weapons and Ammunition Seized in Segbe
19 March 2021
TogoWeb (Togo)
The defence and security forces have been carrying out control operations in certain areas of the city of Lomé and its surroundings for several weeks. The objective is to fight against the growing crime in the country.
On Thursday 18 March 2021, these operations were extended to the Segbe district, a locality located in the western suburbs of the capital in the Golfe 7 commune, according to a statement issued by the Minister of Security and Civil Protection, General... (GunPolicy.org)
Reports indicate financial costs of gun violence, MA gun laws effective
25 February 2021
Boston Globe
For gun-safety activists or everyday Massachusetts citizens concerned about gun violence, it doesn't get much better than this.
Newly released data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show Massachusetts is the state with the least amount of gun violence per capita, while a new study by Everytown for Gun Safety concludes that the Commonwealth has the lowest-in-the-nation per capita costs from gun violence. Building on that good news, US Senator Ed Markey... (GunPolicy.org)
South African Women Turn to Fight Rape, Murder Scourge
7 February 2021
Guardian
For the dozens of women training at a shooting range near Johannesburg, learning how to use a gun has become a means of protection in a country where a woman is murdered every three hours.
For the first time in her life, Ntando Mthembu holds a revolver in her hands. Without hesitating, she fires 10 bullets towards a cardboard target.
Last November Mthembu's cousin, left alone in a house for several hours, was gang-raped and murdered.
"Before it happens to me, I want... (GunPolicy.org)
How Arms Proliferation Fuels Insecurity in Nigeria
7 February 2021
All Africa
Despite efforts by security forces, violent crimes are on the hike pointing to availability of small and light weapons in the country. Experts attribute this trend to large unmanned borders.
Proliferation of arms, occasioned by illegal and porous borders and booming business of gun-running, is fuelling Nigeria's security challenges, giving rise to criminal activities across the country.
Investigations by Daily Trust show a spike in cases of banditry, kidnapping,... (GunPolicy.org)
Penal Code Not Well Adapted to Faroese Conditions
28 January 2021
Kringvarp Føroya (Faeroe Islands)
Hundreds of rifles and shotguns are stored away in homes across the country.
This is not because the gun owners are criminals; rather, it is because leisure shooting, such as target shooting and – in particular, shooting hares – are popular pastimes for Faroese people.
But now, defence lawyer Jógvan Páll Lassen is warning the public that police have stepped up their enforcement of the weapons law.
"If I owned a rifle, I would ask a lawyer to call the police and... (GunPolicy.org)
The Roots of Pre-Election Carnage by Uganda Security Forces
20 January 2021
Conversation (Uganda)
For two days in November 2020, Uganda witnessed some of the most violent riots in a decade. The riots were triggered by the arrest of opposition presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, who is challenging the incumbent Yoweri Museveni in the February 14 2021 election. Authorities alleged that Kyagulanyi, better known as Bobi Wine, had consistently disregarded COVID-19 related election campaign guidelines limiting gatherings to no more than 200 people.
In the violence... (GunPolicy.org)
Faeroese Police Gain Easier Access to Gun Information
18 January 2021
Kringvarp Føroya (Faeroe Islands)
It will now be easier for the police to find information about firearms.
A new directive on registration of firearms grants the police direct remote access to the weapons register for preventive, investigative and prosecutorial purposes in connection with gun-related crimes.
The directive on overseas transportation of firearms and how these should be stored has also been amended.
A so-called firearms passport will now be required for imports and exports of... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 5 Million Registered Firearms in France
24 November 2020
Ouest France (France)
Combien d'armes circulent en France ?
L'Agrippa [application de gestion du répertoire informatisé des propriétaires et possesseurs d'armes] recensait, au 12 novembre 2020, plus de 5 millions d'armes ( 5 263 642 armes ) : 3 889 660 déclarées et 1 373 982 armes de catégorie A et B soumises à autorisation. En 2009, l'application avait recensé plus de 3 millions d'armes dont 2 147 849 déclarées. C'est donc 1 741 811 armes de plus en circulation dans l'hexagone.... (GunPolicy.org)
CSOs Must Join Fight Against Ghana Arms Proliferation
15 October 2020
Graphic Online (Ghana)
Civil society organisations (CSOs) have been urged to develop an evidence-based research for policy decisions to support government in the fight against illicit flow and proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALW) in the country.
The issue of SALW, according to the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons, had been a great concern to Ghana and the international community, and, therefore, a solid advocacy and research of the matter would put state... (GunPolicy.org)
PNG Police Gun Running, Drug Smuggling, says Own Minister
18 September 2020
Guardian
Papua New Guinea's police force is the most corrupt public agency in the country, engaged in drug-smuggling, gun-running, and land theft, and beset by "a rampant culture of police ill-discipline and brutality", its own police minister has said, in an extraordinary condemnation of his own force.
Police minister Bryan Kramer used the occasion of PNG's independence anniversary to launch a swingeing attack on the police force, saying its endemic corruption would take... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigeria Establishes Centre for Control of Arms
28 August 2020
Premium Times (Nigeria)
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the establishment of a national centre for the control of small arms and light weapons, the national security adviser, Babagana Monguno, said.
The centre will be domiciled under the office of the NSA and efforts are on to give it a legal backing, Mr Monguno told State House reporters Thursday.
He added that the centre will be similar to the counter terrorism centre and the cybersecurity centre, both of which are domiciled under... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigerian State Sets Up Special Squad on Illegal Firearms
21 August 2020
Daily Independent (Nigeria)
The Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police, Mr Mike Okoli, has set up a special squad to mop up illegal firearms in the state.
A statement on Friday by Mr Asinim Butswat, the Police Public Relations Officer, quoted CP Okoli as saying that the initiative was in line with the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu.
He said the IGP had specifically directed "commissioners of police to initiate appropriate actions to identify, isolate, disarm,... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigerian Blacksmith Arrested for Illegal Firearms Fabrication
18 August 2020
Premium Times (Nigeria)
Shapraku Umade, a 19-year old blacksmith who specialises in fabricating firearms, has been arrested by police in Lagos, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Hakeem Odumosu, has said.
Mr Umade was arrested alongside two other suspects at the Ajah area of the state during a transaction of illegal firearms. The team transports the firearms from Benue to Lagos State where they sell at the rate of N30,000 each.
According to the Commissioner of Police, "information was... (GunPolicy.org)
South Africa,United States,United Kingdom
Gun Trafficking from US to UK Increasing
12 August 2020
New York Times
Handguns are quietly being smuggled into Britain, despite tough gun-control laws. The police fear that the illegal weapons are contributing to a rise in gang-related crime.
NORTHAMPTON, England — Josh Bains was 28 when he was killed after an argument over a drug debt of about $50 just a few miles from the English village where he grew up — with a gun that had traveled thousands of miles from America.
His was one of a rising number of gun deaths in recent years... (GunPolicy.org)
The 2019/20 Crime Stats and Post-Covid19 Violence Prevention in South Africa
4 August 2020
Saferspaces
If it had not been for the national socioeconomic crisis brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the emerging corruption scandals associated with funding for relief measures, there most likely would have been a public outcry following the release of the 2019/2020 crime statistics last week. Many South Africans were hoping that with the deployment of the South African Defence Force alongside the South African Police Service (SAPS) on the Cape Flats from 2019, as well... (GunPolicy.org)
'Gaps in the system': Move to overhaul paper-based gun licensing system
16 July 2020
Sydney Morning Herald
Criminals are exploiting gaps and inconsistencies in the gun licensing systems of different states and territories to funnel legal firearms into the black market, illegally dispose of guns and move their licences to other states without immediate detection.
Gun owners who lose their licence are also registering their firearms in other states - without any red flags initially being raised - because some states and territories are still operating on largely paper-based... (GunPolicy.org)
Liberia: Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms
14 April 2020
Front Page Africa (FPA)
The Civil Society Human Rights Advocacy Platform has called on the Liberian Government to adopt a national guideline that will specify the role of state securities in the fight against COVID-19 amid the observance of the state of emergency imposed to stop the spread of the virus.
The CSO Human Rights Platform's statement comes in the wake of reports of violence meted against peaceful citizens by state securities in several parts of the country including Bong,... (GunPolicy.org)
Burkina Faso Arming Civilians to Fight Jihadists
9 March 2020
New Humanitarian
KOUPELA, Burkina Faso
Tirog Seydou wants his government to do a better job at fighting the extremist groups that are plaguing his country and encroaching on his town. But the 42-year-old trader from Burkina Faso worries that a new scheme to provide civilians with weapons is no answer to the well-armed militants.
"It's better to invest in the army than militia," said Seydou, seated at a restaurant in Koupela, a town in the country's Center-East region.
Passed by... (GunPolicy.org)
New Zealand Firearm Registry 'Crucial' to Any Gun Law Reform
3 March 2020
Newsroom
Since countries the world over began regulating firearm ownership in the 19th century, there have been three central pillars of gun control policy common to almost every nation: seeing ownership as a privilege instead of a right, a licensing system for owners, and a registry of weapons.
New Zealand never followed through with all three. While no judge in the country would ever overturn precedent to insist firearm ownership is a right, the nation has generally had... (GunPolicy.org)
GunPolicy Director on Proposed Firearms Registry in New Zealand
28 February 2020
New Zealand Herald
Gun owners decrying law reforms are selfish by putting personal inconveniences above public safety, a gun safety expert says.
And Philip Alpers, who used to host TV show Fair Go and is now a public health expert, supports a national gun register because he believes it would make the biggest improvement to community safety.
A bill that would set up a register, among other things, is currently passing through Parliament and its passage might depend on NZ First, which is... (GunPolicy.org)
Fake News Invokes Ammunition Sales to Fijians of Indian Descent
19 February 2020
Fiji Village
R. C. Manubhai and Company Pte Ltd has labelled fake news spread by Facebook trolls claiming that "Indo-Fijians are buying ammunition to go to war with the iTaukei", as a sick attempt to incite fear and hate.
R.C. Manubhai has clarified that they import hunting grade ammunition which is provided to licensed farmers who hunt pigeons, wild pigs and wild dogs.
Company Director, Bhavesh Kumar says it is quite sad that Facebook trolls have decided to spread this fake news... (GunPolicy.org)
The Wave of Explosions Rocking Sweden's Cities
25 January 2020
Guardian
The first thing Daniel Georén registered was a cacophony of car alarms. It was 2am, and everyone in the attractive cobbled street where he lives in Malmö, Sweden, had been jolted awake by a giant explosion.
"The blinds shot up because of the pressure, and straightaway there was a small crowd of neighbours outside," the 40-year-old wine merchant told the Observer a week after the blast.
The damage was still there to see: the door to his backyard had been blown off,... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigerian Governor Illegally Imported 1,000 Ak-47 Guns, Two Million Bullets
8 November 2019
Premium Times (Nigeria)
The Nigerian government has confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that a former Ogun State governor, Ibikunle Amosun, did not get approval to import weapons into Nigeria.
Mr Amosun, a serving senator, requested and received approval for a duty waiver to import only 13 armoured personnel carriers for police operations in Ogun State in 2012, Ben Akabueze, the director-general, Budget Office of the Federation, told PREMIUM TIMES in a recent letter.
The federal government's... (GunPolicy.org)
South African Police Destroy 20,000 Collected Firearms
4 November 2019
The South African
The last national firearm destruction took place on the 17th of April 2019 wherein over 30 000 firearms were destroyed.
The South African Police Service plans to destroy 20 000 firearms on Tuesday morning by melting them, police spokesperson Colonel Brenda Muridili has announced. The destruction will take place in Vereeniging, Gauteng.
The firearms were seized by, surrendered to and forfeited to the state.
"To stamp the authority of the State the police have to... (GunPolicy.org)
Next Phase of NZ Gun Reform to Include Revival of Firearm Registry
14 October 2019
The Conversation
Following the Christchurch mosque shootings, the New Zealand government's first response was to ban the firearms the alleged gunman had used to murder 51 people.
Seven months later, the second tranche of this process is underway. This new law which emphasises that the possession and use of firearms is a privilege (as opposed to a legal right), aims to ensure that people in lawful possession of their firearms act responsibly in the interests of personal and public... (GunPolicy.org)
38 Firearms Seized by Northern Territory Police
5 September 2019
ABC News (Australia)
A banned shotgun, a silencer and a 95-year-old pistol once owned by a legendary novelist have all been hauled in during a gun blitz by the Northern Territory Police.
Officers from the NT's Firearms Policy and Recording Unit last week seized 38 firearms from across the NT.
"A male will be facing charges of possessing a silencer, as well as importation offences for bringing that item into the country," said Senior Sergeant Drew Slape.
"People buy silencers generally... (GunPolicy.org)
South Australia Police Seize Over 238 Firearms in One Haul
5 August 2019
ABC News (Australia)
Police say a three-day search of secret rooms in an Adelaide Hills property has uncovered more than 200 illegal weapons, including an assault rifle "very similar" to the one used in the Texas mass shooting.
SA Police said officers from the Firearms Branch and Eastern Adelaide detectives searched the property just after 5:30 pm on Friday.
They said they found illegal reloading equipment, throwing knives, daggers, bayonets and military ammunition.
Some of the guns and... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Secrecy and Tracking Illicit Firearms
14 June 2019
ABC News (Australia)
How did the accused Darwin gunman, parolee Ben Hoffmann, get his hands on a shotgun and allegedly kill four people?
Likely with relative ease — according to the public health professor behind the world's largest catalogue of evidence on gun violence, firearm law and gun control.
The 12-gauge pump action shotgun was seized at the time of Hoffman's arrest, and police later confirmed its serial number matched a weapon stolen in 1997.
That scenario — a long-armed... (GunPolicy.org)
9 June 2019
Bangkok Post
"If you have a gun, shoot me," shouted Preecha Kunthong before he was hit with several bullets between the eyes and killed on May 19 in Saraburi's Muang district while buying a packet of instant coffee.
The 59-year-old man, who had that morning gone to breakfast with a friend at the local market, allegedly fell into an argument with the shooter as he stood in line at a convenience store opposite Saraburi Hospital.
This story isn't an unusual one in the country with... (GunPolicy.org)
WA Police Firearms Database Riddled With Issues
17 May 2019
iTnews
Western Australia's firearms database has been roundly criticised by the state's auditor for containing significant data integrity issues that impede the regulation of guns in the community .
The Firearm Controls Audit Report [pdf], released by auditor-general Caroline Spencer on Wednesday, reveals "control and functionality weaknesses" with the state's licensing and registry (L&R) information system.
The relatively new system used to asses some 10,500 firearm licence... (GunPolicy.org)
South Africa Police Destroy Over 30,000 Collected Firearms
17 April 2019
Sunday Times (South Africa)
More than 30,000 firearms were destroyed by the police in Gauteng on Wednesday.
The firearms marked for destruction, at steel manufacturer ArcelorMittal in Vereeniging, had all been "seized, surrendered or forfeited" to the state, said police.
Police minister Bheki Cele was present and said: "Most of the firearms here today were surrendered. It is quite a period since we last destroyed firearms - it last happened late in 2016."
He said around two-thirds of the... (GunPolicy.org)
NSW Dealer Accused of Trafficking
11 April 2019
Sporting Shooter / SSAA
Shane Simpson, gun shop owner and presenter on Hunting The Menu, is accused of being a major underworld weapons supplier and of selling firearms used in crimes across Australia, including the executions of two of Sydney highest-ranking organised crime figures.
The Daily Telegraph reported police allege arms dealer Shane James Simpson operated out of a gun shop in Port Kembla near Wollongong and sold guns which were used in the murders of two of Sydney's most... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Firearms Dealer Charged, Hundreds of Guns Seized
11 April 2019
ABC News (Australia)
Key points:
- NSW Police seize 300 firearms from licensed gun dealer, who has been charged with 40 offences
- Dealer accused of being a 'professional facilitator' of organised crime networks across three states
- Accused has not applied for bail or entered a plea in court
A licensed firearms dealer in New South Wales has been charged with more than 40 firearms offences and had more than 300 guns seized from his business in what NSW Police have described as one of the... (GunPolicy.org)
NSW Gun Dealer Arrested for Selling Guns Illegally
10 April 2019
Illawarra Mercury
A Port Kembla firearms dealer has been arrested, and more than 300 weapons seized from his business, after he allegedly sold guns police say were used to shoot dead at least one Sydney underworld figure.
Shane Simpson was taken into custody after officers raided his firearms and hunting store - Simpson Sports, on the corner of Wentworth and Fitzwilliam streets - about 8.30am on Wednesday.
The Mercury understands police arrested the 46-year-old licensed firearms dealer... (GunPolicy.org)
More Officers Support Arming New Zealand Police
3 March 2019
Radio New Zealand
More and more police are in support of arming their own, Police Association figures show.
Sixty-six percent of assocation members supported general arming in a 2017 survey, up 6 percent on 2015 and up 18 percent on 2008, when only 48 percent of police employees were in favour.
Christchurch police have announced frontline staff will remain armed until a wanted man is found. Police Association president Chris Cahill earlier said their arming could spell the beginning of... (GunPolicy.org)
Short-comings Identified in NSW Police Gun Registry
28 February 2019
Guardian
The New South Wales firearms registry has "critical gaps" in its ability to track the location of guns in the state and the agency lacks the "appropriate policies and guidance" to make decisions such as suspending licences.
The state's auditor general has released a damning review of the gun control agency, finding significant shortcomings in its capacity to police firearms.
Released on Thursday, Margaret Crawford's report found that in some cases address details of... (GunPolicy.org)
Liberia Tackles Trafficking of Illicit Small Arms
17 February 2019
New Republic (Liberia)
In the midst of rumors, claims and counter claims regarding assassination plot of President George Weah, the chairman of the Liberia National Commission on Small Arms (LINCSA), Marvin Sarkor has assured Liberians that the country's borders will not be used for trafficking of illicit small arms and light weapons.
According to Sarkor, the people of Liberia have no reason to fear as the commission, he noted, is working tirelessly with her international partners to include... (GunPolicy.org)
Results of WA Gun Control Campaign
3 January 2019
West Australian (Perth)
Close to 7 per cent of WA gun owners targeted in a six-week operation recently were pinged by police for allegedly not storing guns properly.
Police charged 185 gun owners with non-compliance offences out of 2710 addresses checked, with officers alarmingly finding 26 firearms had been lost or stolen. About 400 firearms, including 28 handguns, were seized.
Seventy-two people were charged with 320 unrelated offences. Operation Bluesun Commander Jo McCabe said she was... (GunPolicy.org)
Tasmanian Gun Dealer Charged With Gun Trafficking
4 December 2018
The Advocate
Police laid more than 80 firearms charges against a 58-year-old Ulverstone man on Tuesday.
In a release, police said a "lengthy criminal investigation" led to the charges being laid, along with a suspension of the man's firearms dealer's license and his personal firearms license.
He has been charged with 12 counts of unregistered firearm possession, 54 counts of a licensed firearms dealer failing to keep records in an approved form and four counts of possessing... (GunPolicy.org)
Firearm Prohibition Orders Soar But Gun Crime Remains Stable
27 November 2018
Central Coast Gosford Express Advocate and Daily Telegraph
Firearm Prohibition Orders (FPOs) have exploded more than 650 per cent in the past three years [In NSW] but have had little discernible impact on gun offences, analysis of crime data reveals.
[Subscription-only article: refer to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Central Coast Gosford Express Advocate and Daily Telegraph
NSW Authorities Collect 8,300 Firearms
25 October 2018
Advocate (Hobart) / Australian Associated Press
Police hope the 8300 weapons surrendered to NSW authorities during the latest gun amnesty will put a dent in the killing power of the state's criminals.
More than 1300 rifles, 400 shotguns and thousands of handguns were surrendered over the three months, NSW Police said on Thursday.
However, Australia-wide there are still more privately owned guns and illicit firearms in circulation today than ever before.
University of Sydney gunpolicy.org research estimates there... (GunPolicy.org)
Samoan Police Launch New Gun Amnesty
1 October 2018
Samoa Observer
Members of the public who will use a two-months gun amnesty to bring in their unregistered and illegal guns will get a $50 Electric Power Corporation voucher.
This was announced yesterday when the Police launched a two-month long amnesty in a bid to collect unregistered and illegal guns. The amnesty ends on 30 November 2018.
This is the third amnesty under the leadership of Police Commissioner, Fuiavaili'ili Egon Keil.
Acting Prime Minister, Tuitama Dr. Leao... (GunPolicy.org)
Former Firearms Dealer Charged With Gun Trafficking
10 September 2018
Newcastle Herald (New South Wales)
A former licensed firearms dealer has been charged with 101 offences and police have seized more than 1180 guns as part of an investigation into organised crime.
In November 2015, the Criminal Groups Squad's Strike Force Raptor commenced an investigation into the activities of an organised criminal network operating across Sydney. Investigations concentrated on underworld killings with a focus on the bikie community.
As part of their extensive inquiries, Strike Force... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Ownership Growing in Queensland
18 July 2018
Weekly Times
Gun ownership is on the rise in Queensland with the number of registered firearms increasing by more than 30 per cent in the past six years.
Police Minister Mark Ryan has revealed there were 844,129 firearms registered with police as of June 3 in response to a question on notice from the opposition.
It's a 30.09 per cent increase since 2013 when the total number of firearms registered with police was 648,852.
Mr Ryan says the increase can be largely put down to... (GunPolicy.org)
Destruction of Illicit Firearms in Costa Rica
18 July 2018
The Costa Rica Star
The General Directorate of Armaments in Costa Rica has destroyed 191 firearms this month, firearms which had been used in various crimes including homicide, robbery, drug trafficking, and illegal arms possession and sale. The Guns destroyed included 133 short weapons and 58 long weapons which have been in custody since 2012 and were previously used as evidence in criminal proceedings. They had been confiscated by the OIJ during raids throughout Costa Rica.
How many... (GunPolicy.org)
Would-be Murderer Granted Special Gun Training Permit Despite Red Flags
10 July 2018
Sydney Morning Herald
John Edwards, the man who shot his two children dead last Thursday, was able to pursue his handgun training because he was granted a so-called "Commissioner's Permit", overriding red flags raised by his answers on declarations about his background.
It is understood this permit reassured officials at the St Mary's Indoor Shooting Centre that Edwards could legally undergo handgun training - the first step towards getting a handgun licence and then a permit in NSW -... (GunPolicy.org)
Samoan Police to Destroy 300 Guns
5 July 2018
Samoa Observer
The police will destroy close to 300 illegal firearms that they recovered during their operations.
Commissioner Fuiavailiili Egon Keil said questions remain on how the firearms were brought into the country as Samoa does not manufacture weapons or ammunition.
"This coming Thursday (today) at the police headquarter at 10 o'clock we have little less than 300 firearms that we will be destroying, just like what we did back in 2015. So these weapons will be destroyed... (GunPolicy.org)
Thousands of Homemade Guns Collected by Vietnamese Authorities
5 July 2018
Thanh Nien
In recent years, Quang Nam has had many traumatic accidents, affecting the lives and health of its citizens due to homemade guns.
4 July 2018 - the Police Department of Public Administration (PC64) in Quang Nam province handed over a large amount of weapons and dangerous objects to the Department of Police - Technical Security of the province for destruction.
Included are: 1,139 alcohol/air guns, 272 homemade guns, 54 military guns, 63 knives, 289 parts and... (GunPolicy.org)
238,700 People Carrying Firearm Licences in NZ
16 June 2018
Stuff (New Zealand)
A lobby group is arguing there is a "cascade of failure" in controlling gun control in New Zealand.
Mike Loder, from Shooters Lottery, says the biggest step police should take to reduce the number of cases of criminals pulling guns on cops is to tackle recidivism.
Data from the Ministry of Justice showed since the 1980s, 51 offenders had been convicted for two or more offences for use of a firearm against law enforcement officer.
Between 2016 and 2017, 368 people... (GunPolicy.org)
800,000 Firearms in Circulation in Belgium
9 June 2018
Brussels Times (Belgium)
Vlaams Vredesinstituut, the Flemish Parliament's opinion poll and research organisation, has said there are currently 781,419 guns registered in Belgium. "That's more than in 2006, when the laws on guns became tighter and owners of illegal weapons were free to hand them in with no fear of penalties", researcher Nils Duquet told the Het Belang van Limburg.
After the new gun laws came into effect, the number of registered weapons dropped from 778,585 in 2006 to 707,869... (GunPolicy.org)
NSW Police Launch Drug and Gun Task Force
21 May 2018
Sky News (AUS)
NSW Police have established a new task force targeting drug supply and gun crime along the NSW North Coast.
The Northern Rivers Region Enforcement Squad will conduct investigations into drug supply, firearms offences, property crime and any criminal syndicates operating in the area.
The specialist police unit is one of four new regional squads announced for the state.
[NSW = New South... (GunPolicy.org)
150,000 Illicit Guns in Circulation in Japan
20 April 2018
News Post7
…In fact, it is estimated that 150,000 guns, hundreds of times more than the amount seized, are in illegal circulation. In recent years, the crackdown has become stricter and this figure is still decreasing. A long time ago, it was said that 200,000 guns were in circulation. Most of the owners are... (GunPolicy.org)
Smuggled Military Weapons Seized Near Thai-Cambodian Border
18 April 2018
Nation (Bangkok)
Thai authorities have arrested a man suspected of smuggling illegal weapons from Cambodia to Thailand, according to Cambodian National Police.
On Tuesday night, Thai authorities intercepted a vehicle at a checkpoint in Klaing Yai district, in Thailand's Trat province, about 50 kilometres from Cambodia's Cham Yeam checkpoint, a Cambodian National Police website announcement reads.
The weapons seized included two that appear to be Chinese-made Type-95 assault rifles,... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 60,000 Registered Firearms in NZ
14 February 2018
Scoop (New Zealand)
Address to Otago University Public Health Summer School, Wellington
By Chris Cahill
President, NZ Police Association
The Police Association welcomes the timing of this symposium because it is clear to us that New Zealand needs to have a co-operative, common sense conversation about firearms.
We need to avoid resorting to extremes which we see paralysing jurisdictions such as the United States.
It has to be noted that the NRA has even inserted itself into our firearms... (GunPolicy.org)
Tougher Gun Laws Pass Vic Upper House
6 February 2018
Australian Associated Press
Tougher gun laws targeting gang members, bikies and terrorists have passed Victoria's upper house.
Under the laws, police will be able to impose a firearm prohibition order on someone as young as 14, banning them from acquiring or carrying a gun and meaning they can be searched without a warrant.
The orders would target those with a history of crime, criminal association or who posed a risk to public safety.
The Andrews Labor government bill passed the Legislative... (GunPolicy.org)
Uganda to Audit All Police Guns
15 December 2017
Daily Monitor (Uganda)
The Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura has ordered for an audit of all police guns.
In his directive to the in charge of classified stores, Commissioner of Police Good Mwesigwa, Gen Kayihura says the full audit is to start with all police pistols.
He has also demanded for a full accountability of all police pistols and other firearms adding that a computerized register of all the guns be developed.
In a letter dated December 13, 2017, Gen Kayihura also... (GunPolicy.org)
Craft Weapons Seized in Finland
26 November 2017
MTV Finland
[Editor's Note: Translated from Finnish to English by GunPolicy.org]
In the forensic laboratory of the National Bureau of Investigation, between 30-40 homemade weapons are investigated annually. However, the figure is not the whole truth, as some of the weapons can be studied directly by the police without the work of the laboratory.
"Making a firearm is not a very demanding job," says technical researcher Pauli Heiskanen from the forensic laboratory.
In practice,... (GunPolicy.org)
ISIS Links to Gun Smuggling in Malaysia
20 November 2017
Straits Times (Singapore)
With the rise of extremists in Malaysia, a new insidious form of smuggling has emerged - sneaking in guns for militants.
Malaysian police have increased raids against local terror cells in recent years, but the inflow of arms has not been eradicated due to the many Malaysia-Thai cross-border smuggling routes, officials say.
Asked whether firearms were among the smuggled goods commonly seized, Malaysian Border Security Agency director-general Mohamad Ismail told The... (GunPolicy.org)
Interview on Illicit Firearms in Myanmar
21 October 2017
The Irrawaddy
Ye Ni: Welcome to Dateline Irrawaddy. This week, we'll discuss the current talk of the town—the arrest of U Phyo Ko Ko Tint San who was found with firearms and illegal drugs at Naypyitaw Airport. Lawyer U Than Zaw Aung (TZA) and The Irrawaddy Burmese editor U Yan Paing join me to discuss this. I'm Irrawaddy Burmese editor Ye Ni…
TZA: There were gun licenses issued under the BSPP government starting from 1977 but only to those who were fully-fledged party members... (GunPolicy.org)
Better Gun Laws? Australia Lacks That Calibre of MP Today
6 October 2017
Australian (Sydney), Opinion
The mass murder in Las Vegas this week was so horrific that Australians naturally responded with grief for the victims, revulsion toward the killer and despair at America's national paralysis on gun violence. Yet there was a secondary theme, understandable but unhelpful, in the fury at the inability of someone else's political system to reach a national agreement on a chronic problem. Some of the Australian voices sounded a little too smug.
Two decades after Australia... (GunPolicy.org)
1.5 Million Firearms Estimated to be in NZ
4 October 2017
Stuff (New Zealand)
As the United States comes to terms with one of its deadliest mass shooting in modern history after 59 people massacred at a Las Vegas music festival, the bitter argument about gun control will be a talking point yet again. Brad Flahive and Andy Fyers take a look at the gun debate in New Zealand.
The small seaside town of Aramoana was the site of New Zealand's worst mass murder in modern history. After an argument with his neighbour, David Gray shot and killed 13... (GunPolicy.org)
Australians Turn In 12,500 Guns as National Amnesty Opens
11 August 2017
New York Times
SYDNEY, Australia — The first numbers for the National Gun Amnesty are in, and more than 12,500 unregistered firearms have been surrendered since it started last month, Michael Keenan, the minister for justice, announced on Thursday.
The amnesty, which is running from July 1 to Sept. 30, allows people to hand unwanted or unregistered firearms over to the police and to licensed firearm dealers without fear of prosecution. Ordinarily, the possession of an unregistered... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Knowledge of Gun Laws 'Unacceptable' - NZ Police
28 July 2017
NewsHub
Newshub has obtained an internal police document that shows a number of failures in the way police deal with firearms.
It shows their knowledge of the law around firearms is at an "unacceptable level", the licensing system is "no longer fit for purpose" and police and customs processes are "obsolete" and "leaving gaps".
Two women were shot dead on Wednesday by Whangarei man Quinn Patterson, who was amassed by an arsenal of illegal guns.
An admission by police chiefs... (GunPolicy.org)
Cambodians Nabbed for Weapons Smuggling
24 July 2017
Cambodia Daily
Cambodian police on Saturday arrested three nationals in connection with an alleged weapons smuggling attempt that netted five Thai nationals across the border last week, officials said on Sunday.
"Three were arrested yesterday in Banteay Meanchey province in connection with weapons smuggling," National Police spokesman Kirth Chantharith said on Sunday before declining to answer any more questions.
However, Ben Sam Ath, police chief of Banteay Meanchey's Malai... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Botswana,Cook Islands,Fiji,Iceland,Ireland,Kiribati,Malawi,Marshall Islands,Nauru,New Zealand,Niue,Norway,Samoa,Solomon Islands,Tonga,Tuvalu,United Kingdom,Vanuatu,Virgin Islands (US)
The 19 Countries That Do Not Arm Their Police Officers
19 July 2017
CNN
A woman who called 911 to report a nearby crime was killed by a US police officer last weekend. The circumstances surrounding her death are still unclear.
The fatal shooting of Justine Ruszczyk, a dual Australian-US national who had settled in Minnesota in 2014, has made headlines in both her native Australia and her adopted home in Minneapolis – once again reigniting the all too familiar debate surrounding the role that firearms play in both law enforcement and in... (GunPolicy.org)
Cambodia, Thailand Investigate Arms Smuggling
23 June 2017
Khmer Times
Cambodia and Thailand are now working together to investigate weapons being smuggled from Cambodia to Myanmar via Thailand after a cache was recently confiscated by the Thai military in Thailand's Trat province.
Speaking at the inauguration for the new provincial governor in border province Koh Kong on Friday, Interior Minister Sar Kheng said National Police Commissioner General Neth Savoeun was working with Thailand's Police Commissioner General to investigate the... (GunPolicy.org)
Firearm Smuggling on the Thai-Cambodian Border
20 June 2017
ASEAN Today
Cambodia's Defense Ministry may have blood on their hands. The Thai media have claimed they are directly involved in arms smuggling. The Thai media made the claims after Thai authorities found a weapons cache in a vehicle in the Trat province of Thailand. They assert that the weapons may be linked to Cambodian Defense Minister, Tea Banh.
The Cambodian Defense Ministry are investigating the issue. However, the recent spate of arrests suggests that the problem is not... (GunPolicy.org)
2017 Amnesty Will Yield Questionable Results in Australia
18 June 2017
The Conversation
After 18 months of false starts, Australia is about to hold another gun amnesty for three months from July 1.
Last week, Justice Minister Michael Keenan claimed the amnesty would take illegal guns off Australian streets. He went on to link the amnesty with terrorism, citing the Lindt Cafe siege and the murder of Curtis Cheng as examples.
In a time when the spectre of terrorism is increasingly used as both a shield to prevent scrutiny of policies and a sword to attack... (GunPolicy.org)
Cambodian Authorities Destroy Homemade Guns from Amnesty
14 June 2017
Khmer Times
Police in Preah Vihear province have collected 378 homemade rifles since launching a gun amnesty at the start of the year.
Deputy provincial police chief Colonel Sam Sameoun said officers had spoken to people in the area to educate them about illegal weapon possession, warning that homemade guns often malfunction, injuring or killing their owners.
Following the outreach work, he said officers managed to convince many residents to hand in their homemade rifles,... (GunPolicy.org)
Seizure of Illicit Weapons Increases
24 May 2017
Iltalehti News
[Editor's note: Translated from Finnish to English by GunPolicy.org]
The number of firearms and supplies seized by the police has increased.
Last year, 5,384 (2016) firearms or weapons were seized by the police, compared to 3,675 (2015) in the previous... (GunPolicy.org)
BiH Destroys 2,315 pieces of SALW
3 May 2017
SEESAC Newsletter May 2017, Newsletter
The authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina destroyed 2,315 pieces of small arms and light weapons (SALW) and 3,344 of their parts and components on Saturday 29 April 2017, at Jelisingrad smelter in Banja Luka. More precisely, this activity funded by the European Union and supported by UNDP SEESAC and UNDP BiH, enabled the destruction of 996 long and 1319 short barrels.
The destroyed firearms and their components have been confiscated by police agencies of Bosnia and... (GunPolicy.org)
US Agencies Help Stop Smuggling of 5000 Guns to Australia
16 March 2017
News Corp Australia Network
The largest ever shipment of guns organised by bikie gangs and bound for Australia has been stopped in the US and seized by police as the crackdown on outlaw motorcycle clubs intensifies.
The almost 5000-strong shipment of handguns and automatic rifles was nabbed late last year before reaching Australian shores as part of a joint investigation between federal, state and international policing agencies.
News Corp Australia can exclusively reveal the operations leading... (GunPolicy.org)
Operation Talon: Focused on tackling gun-crime in Sydney
3 February 2017
NSW Government, Web page
Operation Talon is a new, unified and centrally-controlled operation solely focused on tackling gun-crime in Sydney.
Operation Talon will draw resources from across the entire NSW Police Force in order to get guns off our streets.
Operation Talon intends to hunt down and arrest anyone who believes it is okay to shoot a gun in a Sydney street.
In addition to arresting the people involved in gun-crime, Operation Talon aims to locate and seize the illegal firearms,... (GunPolicy.org)
Prominent Assassination with Military Firearm in Myanmar
2 February 2017
New York Times
YANGON, Myanmar — The soft-spoken rights lawyer had devised a plan to replace Myanmar's Constitution with one that would strip the military of its extraordinary political powers.
The lawyer, U Ko Ni, a top adviser to the governing National League for Democracy, had recently been working on a new draft, a colleague said, and he hoped to promote his project at a conference this month.
But when he returned to the Yangon airport on Sunday from a trip to Indonesia,... (GunPolicy.org)
Norwegian Police Involved in Four Fatal Shootings in 14 Years
28 November 2016
Local (Norway)
Norwegian police shot and killed a 35-year-old man in Kristiansand early on Sunday morning, an incredibly rare incident in a nation where fatal police shootings are nearly non-existent.
Police would not say how many shots they fired at the 35-year-old but according to local news source Fædrelandsvennen numerous empty cartridges were found at the site.
Police received tip-offs from members of the public about an armed man who was displaying threatening behaviour.... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Killing Sparks New Gun Rules in Morocco [FR]
25 November 2016
Yabiladi (Morocco)
[Translated summary: Following human rights protests after police killed two criminals in Morocco, the General Directorate for National Security has given new instructions regarding the use of service firearms. Guns must be the last resort and police officers must aim for the limbs, except in the case of terrorist attack or resistance to the authorities.]
Suite au décès de deux « délinquants » tombés sous les balles de la police à Béni Mellal et Salé, les... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland Now Has National Online Firearm Registration [FR]
24 November 2016
Tribune de Genève
[Translated summary: Swiss Police are now able to search firearm registers online, which allows them to obtain in one place the information about all private guns owned or transferred. Before, they had to contact every cantonal office individually. Police can also use the new system before making an intervention, to learn about the firearms owned by the people involved.]
Depuis début octobre, la police peut effectuer une recherche en ligne dans les registres d'armes... (GunPolicy.org)
24,000 Guns Seized in Tamaulipas, Mexico Since 2011 [ES]
23 November 2016
Expreso (Mexico)
[Translated summary: The Mexican Army has seized 24,000 firearms in the state of Tamaulipas since January 2011, most of them in an operation that involved civilians with pistols, semi-automatic guns and assault weapons. In the same period, 2,871 guns were destroyed and 10,611 new firearms were registered.]
CIUDAD VICTORIA -- El Ejército ha asegurado 24 mil armas de fuego en Tamaulipas de enero de 2011 a octubre de este año, la mayoría en operativos que involucraban... (GunPolicy.org)
Social Media Used for Gun Sales, Trafficking in Venezuela [ES]
18 November 2016
Entorno Inteligente
[Translated summary: Venezuelans now use social media like Whatsapp, BBM, Snapchat and Instagram to illegally buy and sell guns. A Beretta 92FS pistol can be purchased for 2.7 million Venezuelan bolivars (270,000 USD). Official data from 2012 calculates that the country has between 1.2 and 1.5 million unregistered guns. Until March, 2016, only 48,000 firearms had been destroyed.]
Los índices de violencia y criminalidad siguen en un preocupante ascenso. Para completar... (GunPolicy.org)
Serbian Police Seize Biggest Illegal Gun Cache in 15 Years [ES]
16 November 2016
Europa Press (Spain)
[Translated summary: Serbian Police seized an arms arsenal that included hand grenades, explosives, rocket launchers, antitank grenades, assault rifles, a machine gun, semi-automatic rifles and ammunition; the greatest stash in 15 years. Police worry about Serbian firearms ending up in terrorist attacks in European capitals.]
La Policía serbia se ha incautado de un arsenal de armas que incluye más de 100 granadas de mano y 30 kilos de explosivos, según ha informado... (GunPolicy.org)
Record Seizure in Serbia, Source of Illegal Guns to Europe [FR]
16 November 2016
Le Parisien (France)
[Translated summary: Serbian police seized a record quantity of firearms, ammunition and explosives. Among the firearms were automatic and semi-automatic rifles, a machine gun, pistols and carbines. The Interior Minister expressed his concern at illegal firearms entering European capitals. Firearms from the Balkans are often found in the hands of Jihadist terrorists.]
C'est la plus importante saisie d'armes depuis le début du XXIe siècle en Serbie. La police locale a... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 1,000 Guns Surrendered During Amnesty in B.C., Canada
10 November 2016
Times-Colonist (British Columbia)
More than 1,000 guns are off the streets after a province-wide gun amnesty allowed people to turn in their firearms, no questions asked.
The province, the RCMP and municipal departments are to announce the results of the October gun amnesty at a press conference today in Surrey. Central Saanich Police Chief Les Sylven, president of the B.C. Association of Chiefs of Police, said Wednesday that more than 1,000 firearms had been turned in.
Nanaimo RCMP recovered 44... (GunPolicy.org)
State Authorities Exchange Guns for Money in Mexico [ES]
4 November 2016
El Vigía (Mexico)
[Translated Summary: Mexican Civil and military authorities encourage civilians to surrender firearms; in exchange they will receive money. The objective of this campaign is to recover firearms in a voluntary, anonymous and peaceful way way in return for an economic benefit.]
Como parte de las acciones encaminadas a la prevención autoridades civiles y militares convocaron a la comunidad a entregar armas de fuego que puedan tener en sus hogares y, a cambio recibirán... (GunPolicy.org)
Shooting Clubs Show 38% Membership Growth in France [FR]
4 November 2016
BFMTV (France)
[Translated summary: Amid fear of terrorist attacks in France, membership of shooting clubs jumped from 145,365 to 201,450 between 2011 and 2016, an increase of 38%. Firearm seizures also increased: there were 5,000 in 2014, 6,000 in 2015 and 5,000 so far this year. Nowadays, France has 4.4 million declared guns, and, depending on the source, between 1 and 8 million illegal firearms.]
D'après une enquête de L'Obs, de plus en plus de Français se dotent d'armes à... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Dominican Republic
Many More American Guns Seized in Dominican Republic [ES]
4 November 2016
Acento (Dominican Republic)
[Translated summary: 115 firearms, 57,000 rounds of ammunition and military equipment of American origin were seized in the Dominican Republic in the last two months. Among the firearms were pistols, rifles, pellet guns, shotguns, revolvers and one automatic machine gun.]
SANTO DOMINGO -- Los esfuerzos de las autoridades de Estados Unidos por frenar el tráfico ilegal de armas de fuego y municiones desde su territorio hacia la República Dominicana hasta el momento han... (GunPolicy.org)
Cambodian Authorities Collect Illicit Craft Weapons
31 October 2016
Khmer Times
In an effort to improve security and public order in Prey Veng province, police on Saturday managed to convince many local residents to hand in their homemade guns, according to the National Police website.
Lieutenant Colonel Soun Sam Oeun, the Kampong Trabek district police chief, told Khmer Times that police spoke with residents throughout the district about illegal gun possession, saying the guns often malfunctioned and injured or killed their owners. Those who... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns-and-Terrorism Links Worry British Police, Crime Authority
31 October 2016
East Lothian Courier (UK), Press Association (UK)
Half the foiled terror plots in the UK in the past two years involved a plan to buy guns, police have said, amid a surge in the number of weapons found in major British cities.
Concerns about firearms falling into terrorist hands are running high after a record level of gun seizures in London and similar spikes in Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds and Liverpool.
Authorities fear that links between street gangs and terrorists could give extremists access to weapons and... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: East Lothian Courier (UK), Press Association (UK)
1,868 Firearms Destroyed in Venezuela [ES]
31 October 2016
El Nacional (Venezuela)
[Translated Summary: Venezuela's Public Ministry supervised the destruction of 1,868 firearms in Caracas. The cache of firearms had been seized in 11 states nationwide by the police since July this year.]
El Ministerio Público, a través de la Fiscalía Superior del Área Metropolitana de Caracas (AMC), supervisó este lunes 31 de octubre el acto de destrucción de 1.868 armas de fuego, las cuales fueron incautadas en 11 estados del país en el segundo semestre del... (GunPolicy.org)
900 Firearms Stolen from Gun Shops in US Carolinas This Year
31 October 2016
WSOC/TV (USA)
CHARLOTTE -- There have been 900 guns stolen from stores in the Carolinas in 2016 and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives officials said it's the fastest rate in the U.S.
Federal agents are working around the clock to solve the cases but the connection between the crimes isn't clear.
Guns have been stolen from 81 firearms shops in the Carolinas since January.
"We've had approximately 900 that have been taken through burglary, larceny or robbery," ATF... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Destroy 1,036 Seized Firearms in Panama [ES]
31 October 2016
La Prensa (Panama)
[Translated summary: Authorities from Panama destroyed 1,036 firearms of different calibres on October 31. The general director of the National Police said that these guns were seized in different police operations to dismantle gangs, or because they were illegally owned by civilians.]
Las autoridades panameñas procedieron este lunes 31 de octubre con la destrucción de mil 36 armas de diverso calibre.
El director general de la Policía Nacional, Omar Pinzón, dijo... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Seized 250 Guns During a Single Raid in Cape Town
28 October 2016
IOL (South Africa)
Tshwane - The South African Police Service on Friday seized over 250 firearms, ammunition and an undisclosed amount of money at a premises in Valhalla Park, Cape Town, acting National Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Khomotso Phahlane said.
Addressing media in Pretoria on Friday evening, Phahlane said crime scene experts were still at the area, and processing the seized items.
"We would like to congratulate the Western Cape police who, during an intelligence-led... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 1,200 People Allegedly Shot Dead by Police in Kenya
28 October 2016
al Jazeera
Kenyan police have been accused of more than 1,200 shooting deaths over the past five years amid calls for the government to investigate extrajudicial killings and disappearances.
Only one police officer in Kenya has been successfully prosecuted and imprisoned for an unlawful killing in the last three years, according to the local group Independent Medico-Legal Unit, which monitors police violence.
New York-based Human Rights Watch has also highlighted at least 34... (GunPolicy.org)
Fewer Than 1 in 20 British Police Officers Carry Firearms [FR]
27 October 2016
France TV Info
[Translated summary: In Great Britain, less than 5% of police officers carry a firearm. In 2015-16 they used their guns only seven times. To be able to carry a firearm, officers must volunteer and pass very strict tests, as well as psychological monitoring.]
Alors que 250 millions d'euros vont, en France, être affectés à moderniser le matériel des policiers, coup de projecteur sur la situation en Grande-Bretagne. Outre-Manche, la tradition historique du bobby non... (GunPolicy.org)
Liberia 'Has Marked 90%' of Guns Located by Government
26 October 2016
Liberia News Agency
An official of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says Liberia is far ahead of some of the member states when it comes to the collection and marking of arms in the region.
According to her, about 90 percent of arms collected in Liberia have been marked, with just 10 percent remaining.
The ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Mrs. Halima Ahmed, made the disclosure recently when she paid a courtesy call on Liberia's Foreign... (GunPolicy.org)
FBI Helps Dominican Republic to Fight Gun Trafficking [ES]
25 October 2016
CDN (Dominican Republic)
[Translated summary: US authorities are helping the Dominican Republic with illegal firearms trafficking investigations, allowing the country to access FBI information. The last shipments of firearms seized in DR consisted of weapons of war, rifles, pistols, revolvers, ammunition, military equipment, bullet making machinery and a grenade. The guns were found in food boxes sent from the US.]
SANTO DOMINGO -- El Buró Federal de Investigaciones de Estados Unidos (FBI por... (GunPolicy.org)
Recent Gun Figures from Australia's CrimTrac Lack Credibility
21 October 2016
University of Sydney Media Release, Media release
University of Sydney gun policy expert, Associate Professor Philip Alpers has questioned the accuracy of registered
firearms data published by CrimTrac, the federal agency responsible for counting gun owners and their firearms.
In Table 2.23 at page 63 of its 2015-16 Annual Report, the following conclusions seem to lack credibility:
- An increase of 1.2 million registered firearms in Australia in the past three years
- A sudden decrease of 900,000 registered... (GunPolicy.org)
South Africa Police Destroy Another 23,000 Firearms [FR]
21 October 2016
La Revue de l'Afrique
[Translated summary: South African police have destroyed 22,999 firearms, most of them seized from criminals. 3,156 were police guns that were no longer operational. Among them were revolvers, pistols, hunting rifles and assault rifles. Police are sure that destruction will contribute to the security of the country, which sees an average of 16 gun deaths each day.]
La police sud-africaine a conduit hier une opération médiatisée de destruction massive d'armes à feu.... (GunPolicy.org)
US Dilemma: Destroy or Recirculate Guns Seized in Crime?
17 October 2016
WFMY News
GREENSBORO -- Some police departments across the state are facing a gun dilemma and it's not what you might think.
The recent uptick in violent crimes and more aggressive police initiatives to curb it, means some, like the Greensboro Police Department, are taking a lot of guns off the streets.
But a state law is presenting a dilemma where some of those departments can't decide what to do with the guns once a case is over and they no longer need the gun for... (GunPolicy.org)
Papua New Guinea Seizes Undeclared Guns Intended for Police
13 October 2016
Pacific Islands Report
PORT MORESBY – Chief Secretary Isaac Lupari, pictured, says a shipment of police firearms sent from South Korea to Port Moresby was impounded in Lae by Customs because they were not properly declared.
Lupari, the National Security Advisory Council chairman, was commenting yesterday on the 280 semi-automatic guns seized by Customs in Lae and locked up at the Defence Force's Igam Barracks.
"Those were ordered by police through the private sector," Lupari told The... (GunPolicy.org)
Cape Town Cuts Gun Violence With High-tech ShotSpotter [FR]
7 October 2016
Agence Ecofin (Switzerland)
[Translated summary: A total of 71 firearm incidents have been registered in Cape Town in September, while 128 were registered in August and 211 in July. The reduction is due to the implementation of ShotSpotter, a high-tech acoustic detection system which allows police to arrive quickly at the scene of a shooting.]
La semaine dernière, la ville sud-africaine de Cape Town a dressé un premier bilan de son utilisation du système numérique ShotSpotter, dans sa lutte... (GunPolicy.org)
Tech to Fight US Gun Crime Hobbled by Skepticism, Disuse
6 October 2016
Washington Post
On a humid day in April 2009, the sound of gunfire drew police to a suburban home in Jefferson Parish, La. Officers found no shooters or victims — just an empty back yard littered with shell casings. In an area with the nation's highest gun-death rate, the incident seemed pretty minor. "Garden-variety case" is how one detective described it.
Still, the casings were taken to the crime lab and entered into a huge federal database run by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,... (GunPolicy.org)
Kenya Police Kill 140+ in 2015: Other Countries Patrol Unarmed
2 October 2016
Daily Nation (Nairobi), Report
When it comes to killings, Kenya police has few equals: They kill more people in days than other countries do in years, a Nation Newsplex analysis reveals.
Studies around the world have linked the number and rate of police killings to factors such as whether police are armed all the time, gun ownership rates, adherence to police guidelines firearms use, quality of training offered to police recruits and poverty levels.
With a police killing rate of 3.2 per million... (GunPolicy.org)
German Police Seize Record 2,000 Weapons from Neo-Nazis [DE]
30 September 2016
Zeit Online (Germany)
[Translated summary: In Germany, the Federal Criminal Police confiscated almost 2,000 weapons from Neo-nazis in 2015, the highest number since the start of statistics in 2008. Particularly concerning was the number of explosive devices found, as explosives were used in attacks on refugee shelters.]
Fast 2.000 Waffen beschlagnahmten Polizisten laut "Focus" bei Neonazis, ein Höchstwert in der Statistik. Besonders besorgniserregend: die vielen... (GunPolicy.org)
Quebec Terror Suspect Had Firearm Licence, Kept Buying Guns
30 September 2016
Toronto Star (Ontario)
MONTREAL — A young Montreal man suspected of having gone to Syria and adhering to "extremist Islamist" ideologies was able to keep his firearms licence for years and to legally purchase semi-automatic rifles while he was the subject of a terrorism investigation by the RCMP, a La Presse investigation has found.
The case of Samy Nefkha Bahri raises numerous questions about the control of firearms in Canada and the communication between police forces.
The police... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada Terror Suspect Kept Gun Licence, Got More Guns [FR]
29 September 2016
La Presse (Montréal)
[Translated summary: A young man from Montreal who was suspected of having gone to Syria and adhering to 'extremist Islamist' ideologies was able to keep his firearm licence for several years. He also legally bought semi-automatic rifles while he was being investigated by the RCMP (federal police).]
Un jeune Montréalais soupçonné d'être allé en Syrie et d'adhérer à des idéologies « extrémistes islamistes » a réussi à conserver son permis d'armes à feu... (GunPolicy.org)
Increased Gun Smuggling in the UK
28 September 2016
Guardian
More guns are being seized in cities across Britain as the number of firearms being smuggled into the country increases, Britain's most senior police officer has said.
Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Metropolitan police commissioner, told a hearing at London's City Hall that a rise in gun crime in the capital was being put down to an increase in the number of weapons coming into the country.
The Met seized a "worrying" record number of weapons in 2015, including... (GunPolicy.org)
South African Police Seized 85 Guns in Anti-Gang Campaign
28 September 2016
Herald Live (South Africa)
A massive police bust has netted 29 suspected gangsters – among them alleged gang bosses – and more than R1-million worth of drugs
The two-day operation saw a series of raids on drug hotspots across Port Elizabeth and other towns.
It involved 250 police officials and 26 K9 unit members and was part of the anti-gang campaign Operation Lockdown, which has been in full swing since March.
Police top brass hailed the operation yesterday as a success.
They also... (GunPolicy.org)
US the Source of 90% of Guns Smuggled Into Mexico [ES]
27 September 2016
Uni Mexicali (Mexico)
[Translated summary: Authorities from several Mexican states have registered an increase in the seizure of firearms coming from abroad, as informed by the Secretary of Public Security. He said that 90% of seizures, more than 1,600 firearms, are smuggled from the US.]
TIJUANA -- Autoridades no sólo de Baja California, sino de otras entidades del país han registrado un incremento en el
aseguramiento de armas de fuego procedentes del extranjero, informó el secretario... (GunPolicy.org)
With 49 Shootings So Far This Year Ottawa Matches Record [FR]
26 September 2016
Ici Radio Canada
[Translated summary: Ottawa police confirm that the shooting of last Monday was the 49th in the year. The city now registers the same number of shootings as in 2014, a record year.]
Le Service de police d'Ottawa (SPO) confirme qu'une 49e fusillade a eu lieu sur son territoire tôt lundi matin. La capitale nationale enregistre maintenant le même nombre d'incidents impliquant une arme à feu qu'en 2014, laquelle était une année record.
Vers 1 h 20 lundi matin, les... (GunPolicy.org)
US Police Kill 100 Times More People Than German Police
22 September 2016
Local (Germany)
According to the Washington Post's database of fatal police shootings, 990 people were killed in 2015. In Germany, ten people were killed by police last year, according to a report on Thursday by publishing group Funke Mediengruppe, citing figures from the German Police University.
That means that while the population of the US is roughly four times that of Germany, the number of fatal police shootings there is about 100 times greater.
So far this year, 706 people... (GunPolicy.org)
Ecuador Police Seize, Hold 28,000 Guns for Destruction [ES]
22 September 2016
Infodefensa (Spain)
[Translated Summary: Since 1998, Ecuador's Judicial Police has stored over 28,000 firearms recovered in police operations. Now, they are going to deliver them to the National Army for its destruction, together with 43,000 ammunition and 205 cartridges. This cache was kept stored in different Police's Evidence Collection Points around the country.]
La Policía Judicial de Ecuador almacena desde 1998 más de 28.000 armas de fuego que ahora ha comenzado a entregar... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Trafficking Network Dismantled in Colombia [ES]
20 September 2016
El Tiempo (Bogotá)
[Translated summary: 40 people accused of gun trafficking were captured in Colombia. During the operation, 5 machine guns, 30 rifles, more than 50,000 cartridges, grenades, over 50 handguns and 2 sniper rifles were seized.]
Luego de un operativo conjunto entre el Ejército y la Policía fueron capturadas 40 personas, en varias ciudades del país, a las que se les sindica de traficar armas con el Eln y bandas criminales. Los presuntos delincuentes incluso tenían una... (GunPolicy.org)
Morocco: Police Must Use Guns More to Fight Crime [FR]
18 September 2016
Le 360 (Morocco)
[Translated summary: To face an increase in crime, Moroccan police will be required to use their firearms more often. Police sources explain that this is a right they haven't employed until now because the level of crime in Morocco was not as high as in other countries. Morocco has around 50,000 police officers and most of them carry Beretta pistols and HK machine guns.]
Pour faire face à la montée de la criminalité, la police marocaine serait désormais appelée à... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Dismantle Massive Online Gun Market in Thailand
18 September 2016
Bangkok Post
Police have cracked a massive online market in firearms, including high-powered war weapons and assault equipment, in a series of lightning raids across the country.
In early morning action on Saturday on 76 locations in many provinces, a combined taskforce of officers from three police divisions detained 20 suspects and seized 141 firearms.
The raids were launched after it emerged that teenage students were buying firearms through social media and then committing... (GunPolicy.org)
'Alarming Increase' as 545 Guns Seized in Trinidad & Tobago
16 September 2016
Stabroek News (Guyana)
There has been an alarming increase in the quantity of guns and ammunition seized by police this year compared with last year.
The T&T Police Service (TTPS) was given a performance target by the office of the Commissioner of Police to recover at least 690 illegal firearms by the end of the year.
And with just over three months left, the organisation is well on its way to achieving this number, having recovered 545 illegal firearms.
In fact, this number represents an... (GunPolicy.org)
Italian Gun Maker Beretta Will Manufacture in Argentina [ES]
14 September 2016
La Nación (Argentina)
[Translated summary: Italian company Beretta will manufacture two types of guns in Argentina. Police already use these firearms, and the production is for them.]
La empresa italiana Pietro Beretta producirá armas en la Argentina. Así lo afirmó el ministro de Defensa, Julio Martínez , que hoy se reunió en Roma con autoridades de la compañía.
Según detallaron desde el Ministerio en un comunicado, la empresa producirá en el país dos armas bajo su licencia en... (GunPolicy.org)
More Towns, Cities in France Want to Arm their Police [FR]
9 September 2016
La Gazette (France)
[Translated summary: After the attacks, more mayors in France want to arm their municipal police because they think the officers face the same challenges as the national police. In some districts, police will be allowed to carry firearms when they finish their training at the end of the year.]
Les maires estiment que le policier municipal est devenu une cible et que ses missions ont changé, étant de plus en plus proche de celles de la police nationale.
Depuis les... (GunPolicy.org)
Failures in the Fight Against Illegal Gun Transfers in US [FR]
8 September 2016
L'Orient-Le Jour (Beirut)
[Translated summary: After a two-year investigation, the US Department of Justice has concluded that undercover operations against gun trafficking by the ATF were poorly managed, and that the agents lacked training and supervision. For example, an infiltrated agent actually sold a gun and kept the profits, some of the retrieved guns were later stolen, and some agents misplaced sensitive documents.]
Des policiers fédéraux américains ont accumulé les bévues lors... (GunPolicy.org)
Amnesty Exchanges Guns for Bus Tickets in Canada [FR]
7 September 2016
Ici Radio Canada
[Translated summary: From September 12 to 23, citizens of Halifax, Canada, will be able to exchange a firearm for 50 bus tickets. City councillor Ted Upshaw has made the proposition in reaction to a series of shootings that affected the city in spring. There have been 5 gun homicides so far this year. The last amnesty in 2009 retrieved 1,074 firearms.]
La Ville d'Halifax approuve son programme d'amnistie pour les armes à feu illégales. Du 12 au 23 septembre, il sera... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazil,Colombia,Mexico,Venezuela,United States,India,Nigeria,South Africa,El Salvador
World is Far Less Violent: Global Murders Halving in a Decade
7 September 2016
Foreign Affairs (USA)
The world has never been safer than it is right now. Most forms of violence have dropped precipitously over the past few centuries. Although conflict deaths recently spiked (the war in Syria accounts for one third of all war-related killings today), fewer people are dying from warfare than at virtually any time in human history. Terrorist violence also increased over the past two years—especially in six countries the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia—but it still... (GunPolicy.org)
Most Security Guards Can No Longer Carry Guns in Costa Rica
7 September 2016
Q Costa Rica
In 90 days, most private security guards in the country must give up their firearms. Only bodyguards and guards involved in the transportation of valuables, such as armoured bank trucks guards can carry firearms.
Guards at condominiums, malls and banks, for example, will not be able to carry firearms according to the new requirements by Ministry of Security published last Friday in the official government newspaper, La Gaceta.
The head of the Asociación Costarricense... (GunPolicy.org)
Train Marshals to Carry Hidden Handguns in France [FR]
5 September 2016
Le Figaro (France)
[Translated summary: A new decree will allow security agents to carry firearms while wearing civilian clothes in the trains of France. The State Council will finish reviewing the decree in October, but it's going to take more time to equip the agents and train them in the handling of these weapons. The agents are already allowed to perform identity checks and search the baggage of travellers.]
A la suite de l'attentat du Thalys, la SNCF avait prévu que les agents de... (GunPolicy.org)
New Gun Carry Controls for Private Security in Costa Rica [ES]
3 September 2016
El Mundo (Costa Rica)
[Translated Summary: The Public Health Ministry of Costa Rica has set up new controls on carrying firearms. Private security companies that want their officers armed should present a paper explaining their reasons, prepared by a criminologist who has to be part of the School of Professionals in Criminology.]
Los nuevos controles instaurados por el Ministerio de Seguridad Pública (MSP) a la portación de armas para oficiales de seguridad privados, entró en vigencia... (GunPolicy.org)
More 'Assault Rifle' Firearm Models Join Police Guns in Canada
3 September 2016
Guns (USA)
Canadian police are integrating the controversial AR-15 into the hands of patrol officers as firearm related crimes more than triple in some provinces.
According to several Canadian news outlets, the cities of Winnipeg, Regina and Toronto steadily added the carbine to their arsenal for use in high risk vehicle stops and home entries this year.
"We're seeing stuff we haven't seen before," Sgt. Derek Lamer told the Regina Leader-Post. "We've gone to gun calls and (the... (GunPolicy.org)
Main US Gun Tracing Centre Deliberately Buried in Bureaucracy
1 September 2016
Mother Jones (USA)
Two agents with suits and trim haircuts lean against a cubicle wall in the cavernous red-brick building that houses the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' National Tracing Center in Martinsburg, West Virginia. They're laughing about one of the gun lobby's favorite myths: the notion that the government has a database with the names of every gun owner in America, and that one day, maybe very soon, it will sweep across the country to confiscate... (GunPolicy.org)
Chicago Sees Deadliest Month of Gun Violence in 10 Years
1 September 2016
New York Times
In a city wrestling with a rise in gun violence and turmoil in its police department, August seemed like the longest month. By midnight on Wednesday, 90 murders had occurred in August alone, making it the deadliest month in Chicago in about 20 years.
Chicago, the nation's third-largest city, has experienced more homicides this year than the bigger cities of Los Angeles and New York combined.
The number of deaths here this year, 471, is about 50 percent higher than the... (GunPolicy.org)
Czechs Think Growing Number of Guns Threatens Security [ES]
1 September 2016
Radio Praga
[Translated summary: According to a survey, Czechs believe that the recent increase of 39% in gun ownership could lead to a decline in security and to more armed robberies. The increase is a consequence of licensed gun owners buying more weapons. An amendment to the Firearms Law has been approved recently, allowing Police to confiscate legal guns if they suspect the owner might harm himself or others.]
Un gran porcentaje de checos opina que la incrementada presencia... (GunPolicy.org)
Chicago Police Shot, Killed 92, Fired 2,623 Shots in Six Years
27 August 2016
Guardian
After threatening to sue the city's police department, the Chicago Tribune has obtained official data tracking every time an officer has opened fire in the city over the past six years. The vast majority of those shot, the newspaper found, were black men or boys.
According to the data, there were 435 police shootings in Chicago from 2010 through 2015, in which officers killed 92 people and wounded 170. In all, officers fired 2,623 bullets.
"While a few of those... (GunPolicy.org)
Number of Missing and Stolen Firearms Increases in Chile [ES]
22 August 2016
Notimerica (Spain)
[Translated summary: In 2010 there were 11,751 firearms missing in Chile, a number that increased to 20,200 in 2016. Also, 7,457 arms were reported stolen in 5 years. As at July this year, Chile has 805,564 registered firearms.]
SANTIAGO DE CHILE -- Las autoridades chilenas y la Policía están preocupadas por el aumento progresivo del número de armas de fuego, especialmente las que no se encuentran regularizadas y perdidas.
Desde el año 2010 se reportaron 642... (GunPolicy.org)
Cops Without Guns Dominate as London Awaits 'Likely' Attack
22 August 2016
NBC News (USA)
LONDON — Seconds after his police radio crackles into life, Inspector James Beattie kicks the squad car into gear, triggers its siren and roars the wrong way down a busy road.
Beattie and his partner, Constable Jill Simpson, are wearing stab-proof vests and carrying batons, canisters of mace and handcuffs. But like the vast majority of London cops, neither of them has a gun.
"I've never, ever felt the need to have a firearm," Beattie said while on patrol last week.... (GunPolicy.org)
Delhi's Authorities in a Fix Due to Illegal Firearms Market
21 August 2016
New Indian Press (India)
As it grapples with rising gun crime, procuring a firearm in Delhi is as easy as ordering takeaway. AK-47s, Chinese Star pistols, Walther PPKs and more are available for the gangster or terrorist who shops with ease in the city's gun bazaar. Incidents of gun-related deaths have gone up in Delhi.
A Delhi Police constable was shot dead over the weekend by bag snatchers, a first of its kind. Earlier, Delhi Police's Anti-Terror Unit busted an international gang of gun... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Gun Factory Dismantled, Weapons Seized in Spain
18 August 2016
Spanish News Today
The Guardia Civil has dismantled a major arms manufacturing and repair workshop in the town of Dos Hermanas, near to the city of Sevilla, in the Andalucía region, seizing a large quantity of weapons and munitions, as well as a quantity of marijuana in the same premises.
During the raid a 48 year old man was arrested and will face a number of charges including manufacturing arms and munitions, storing and owning firearms without a licence, selling illegal weapons and... (GunPolicy.org)
Police in Belgium Can Now Carry Guns On and Off Duty [FR]
17 August 2016
Radio Télévision Belge Francophone (Belgium)
[Translated summary: A Royal Decree in Belgium will authorize police officers to carry arms in their off-duty hours. This measure will be temporary and in the context of self-defence. Also, in the future, unarmed police officers will not patrol alone.]
Les représentants des ministres de la Justice et de l'Intérieur, des polices locales et fédérales ainsi que les quatre organisations syndicales se sont réunis toute la journée. Sur la table de négociations : le... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia: Special Officers to Carry Guns After 10 Wks Training
17 August 2016
West Australian (Perth)
Armed special constables with the power to use "lethal force" will replace fully fledged police as the first line of defence at Parliament and other key State Government buildings.
WA Police is advertising for 40 so-called Protective Service Officers for the security role, freeing up highly trained officers who currently do the work to return to frontline duties.
The PSOs will wear uniforms similar to those worn by police and carry a full range of accoutrements... (GunPolicy.org)
Yet Again, China Aims to Control, Punish Online Gun Traders
12 August 2016
China.org.cn, Xinhua
Chinese police have launched a nationwide campaign against the selling of guns online, the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) announced Friday.
The MPS said police will strengthen the scrutiny of logistics companies that might be involved in gun delivery and crack down on illegal Internet websites, forums, and instant messaging services that facilitate the online gun trade.
Police have also taken resolute action against criminal offences such as manufacturing, selling... (GunPolicy.org)
Police to Verify Addresses of Gun Applicants in Chile [ES]
8 August 2016
La Tercera (Chile)
[Translated summary: According to Chile's Firearm Control Law, police will now have to verify the address of every new applicant for a gun licence. New regulations also include a psychiatric examination, a skill test, and a check of criminal records. Chile has an estimated 769,000 active firearms registered.]
Resolución de la DGMN aumenta medidas de seguridad para la tenencia de armamento y ordena comprobar la dirección del dueño. Además, los instrumentos de fuego... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Lose 60 Pistols, Rifles, Machine Gun in Canada [FR]
7 August 2016
La Presse (Montréal)
[Translated summary: Between 2008 and March 2016, agents of the Canadian Mounted Police have lost 48 firearms. Another 12 were stolen from them. Types include rifles, shotguns, pistols and one machine gun. Police must store their arms safely; they can face criminal charges if they are responsible for the loss or theft.]
Une adolescente de Winnipeg atteinte par balle a frôlé la mort l'an dernier. Le pistolet de son assaillant s'est révélé être une arme de service... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Ranges Legally Rent Machine Guns to Customers
5 August 2016
Miami Herald
The instructor's face wore a frown, and I was worried that I'd committed some safety violation that was going to get me kicked out of the rifle range. When you're firing the same kind of machine gun that killed Osama bin Laden, a weapon that can spit out 900 bullets a minute, the rules are many, and strictly observed.
The instructor leaned closer. "Stop firing little bursts," he urged me. "You're not getting the real fun of the gun. This time, when you pull the... (GunPolicy.org)
Texas Officials Sue Gun Rights Activist After Complaint
5 August 2016
New York Times, Associated Press
DALLAS — A Texas county sued a gun-rights activist who has complained that county officials were unlawfully barring firearms from being brought into a public building.
The lawsuit filed by Waller County, which extends into the suburbs of Houston, takes aim at Terry Holcomb Sr., the executive director of a gun-rights organization called Texas Carry.
Holcomb has sent letters to more than 75 local governments and other public entities across the state complaining of... (GunPolicy.org)
Despite Terror Alert, Over 90% of UK Police Remain Unarmed
4 August 2016
MRC Tv (USA)
Late Wednesday, a woman was killed and five others were injured when a terrorist went on a stabbing spree in London, tragically proving yet again that evildoers bent on hurting a boatload of people aren't dissuaded by gun laws or a lack of access to firearms.
But those same gun restrictions that don't stop bad people from doing bad things sure as heck make it harder for the good guys.
Mere hours after the attack, the Wall Street Journal reported this fun fact about... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Deploys More Police with Guns at London Landmarks
3 August 2016
NBC News (USA)
LONDON — Britain is known for its unarmed bobbies on the beat. But tourists visiting London will have to get used to the city's landmarks being patrolled by more and more officers wielding firearms.
The Metropolitan Police announced the increase — dubbed Operation Hercules — during a show-and-tell event in central London on Wednesday.
As well as the armed cops who will be guarding the London's potential terror targets, also out in force were the Met's elite... (GunPolicy.org)
More Police Officers Now Carry Guns on the Streets of London
3 August 2016
New York Times, Associated Press
LONDON — London's police force is putting more armed officers on the streets — a visible response to attacks by Islamic State-inspired groups in Europe.
Metropolitan Police chief Bernard Hogan-Howe said Wednesday he's increasing the number and the visibility of the officers "to protect the public from all manner of threats."
"In some of our big iconic locations, we've already got armed patrols — if you look at Parliament, Downing Street — so it's not entirely... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 4,000 Guns Registered in Bolivian City in 11 Months [ES]
2 August 2016
Erbol Digital (Bolivia)
[Translated Summary: Local police in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, registered over 4,000 firearms for civilian use in 11 months. In order to register their firearms, owners should not have any police or criminal records and they should submit their equipment to a police examination.]
La Policía de Santa Cruz registró cerca a cuatro mil armas de fuego de uso civil en 11 meses, informó el jefe de Laboratorio de la Fuerza Especial de Lucha Contra el Crimen, Christian... (GunPolicy.org)
1,396 Firearms Disabled During 2016 in Zulia, Venezuela [ES]
2 August 2016
Noticia Al Dia (Venezuela)
[Translated summary: Venezuela's National Disarmament Service has disabled 416 firearms that were stored in the different security agencies of the entity. 61 of these weapons were voluntarily surrendered. A total of 1,396 firearms have been disabled during 2016.]
Desde las instalaciones de la Zona Operativa de Defensa Integral (ZODI) del estado Zulia, el Servicio Nacional para el Desarme (SENADES), inutilizó 416 armas de fuego, provenientes de las salas de resguardo... (GunPolicy.org)
Will France Issue Guns to Its Municipal Police Officers? [FR]
1 August 2016
Sputnik News (France)
[Translated summary: Most municipal police officers in France don't carry firearms, but now the terrorist threat suggests it's necessary to arm them. In order to do so, each officer needs to pass theory and practical tests. The Mayor must then request authorisation.]
La menace accroît et la majorité des polices municipales n'ont toujours pas d'armes. Quel avenir pour les policiers municipaux? Eclairage dans une interview du policier Alain Dal accordée à... (GunPolicy.org)
Venezuela's Military Can Now Use Guns to Quell Protests [ES]
31 July 2016
El Tribuno (Argentina)
[Translated Summary: Due to the surge of protests in the current year (3,507 so far), Venezuela's Supreme Tribunal of Justice authorised Venezuela's National Armed Force to use guns to control public protests. According to the decree, "firearm use is only permitted in non-pacific public protests."]
La Justicia anuló una resolución en donde se regula el uso de armamento por parte de militares en marchas de orden público. El fallo se produce en medio de una escalada... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Armed Police Fired Their Guns Just 7 Times in 12 Months
28 July 2016
International Business Times (UK)
Police in the UK fired their weapons a total of seven times after attending more than 14,000 firearms operations in 12 months, according to figures. Official statistics released by the Home Office show officers discharged their firearms more times in the year ending March 2016 than in any other 12-month period since 2009.
The seven incidents where police fired their weapons is a slight increase from the previous year where there was six. There was also a slight... (GunPolicy.org)
Despite Terrorism, Fewer UK Police Are Trained to Use Guns
28 July 2016
Aol (UK)
The number of police firearms officers has fallen for the fourth year in a row, new figures have revealed.
There were 5,639 authorised firearms officers in forces across England and Wales as of March 31 - down by eight compared with the previous year when there were 5,647, Home Office data shows.
It means the number has dwindled by more than 1,000 in the last five years.
The disclosure comes at a time when Britain's armed policing resources are under close scrutiny... (GunPolicy.org)
Ukraine,Russia,Iraq,Syria,Libya
Ukraine Once Again a Trove for Black Market Gun Trafficking
25 July 2016
New York Times, Reuters
SLOVIANSK/MOSCOW — On Feb. 12 last year, the same day that a ceasefire ended the worst of the fighting in eastern Ukraine between rebels and government forces, a former rebel fighter seized a chance to turn his inside knowledge of the conflict into hard cash.
He traveled to a spot on the Russian-Ukrainian border where he retrieved a cache of weapons hidden there earlier by his comrades in the pro-Russian rebel movement.
Four days later, shortly before 6:00 p.m., he... (GunPolicy.org)
NRA Advocates for Some Black Gun Owners, But Not Others
21 July 2016
The Trace (USA)
The day after Philando Castile was shot dead by a police officer during a traffic stop, his girlfriend Diamond Reynolds spoke at a march on the Minnesota governor's mansion. Reynolds, who filmed the aftermath of the shooting, made an unusual first demand for an African-American protester decrying police violence: She insisted police treat concealed carriers with respect.
Reynolds says Castile, who held a concealed weapons permit, told the officer that pulled him over... (GunPolicy.org)
Dominican Senate Passes New, Tougher Gun Law [ES]
19 July 2016
Al Momento (Dominican Republic)
[Translated summary: The Dominican Senate passed a new Firearm Law that imposes tough sanctions on citizens who own illegal guns, and punishes authorities who comply with this practice. The law bans the carry and use of weapons of war and commands police to resolve cases in which civilians don't surrender illegal guns voluntarily. Licensing will be more rigorous; it will request consent of partners and thorough medical evaluations, among other things.]
Santo Domingo... (GunPolicy.org)
US Street-level Police are More Likely to Support Gun Rights
19 July 2016
Guardian
US police officers, on the front lines of gun violence every day, have particular reason to be on edge in the presence of civilians carrying guns, after 11 days in which eight officers were killed in two planned shootings.
With Cleveland's open-carry law now also in the spotlight as many fear violence around the Republican national convention, the Cleveland police union went so far as to ask Governor (and former Republican presidential candidate) John Kasich to suspend... (GunPolicy.org)
US Second Amendment 'A Recipe for Police Killings'
18 July 2016
Guardian, Opinion
The tragic shootings in Baton Rouge on Sunday are yet another reminder that the second amendment, which grants Americans a constitutional right to be armed, is an extreme danger to police officers. It always was and it always will be.
The right to bear arms means that police operate in an environment in which members of the public can purchase, store and practice with weaponry similar to that of police and military. Some of this weaponry can send pieces of... (GunPolicy.org)
New Irish Taskforce Targets 'People Running Around With Guns'
15 July 2016
Irish Examiner (Dublin)
A 50-strong taskforce to tackle gangland crime will be unveiled by the Government next week
The gardaí, drawn from experienced crime investigators, will be appointed to the Special Crime Task Force on a full-time basis.
Plans for the taskforce were announced by Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald and Garda commissioner Nóirín O'Sullivan on May 31 as part of their response to organised crime and the murderous Kinahan-Hutch feud.
Seven people had been killed by that... (GunPolicy.org)
Indian Mobs Target Police, Troops, Snatch Scores of Firearms
13 July 2016
Times of India
NEW DELHI -- Security forces are bracing for the first Friday prayers after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani against the backdrop of growing evidence of a secessionist plot to raise an arsenal with arms snatched from security forces.
According to sources, a mob took away around 70 semi-automatic and automatic weapons of J&K police after storming a police station in Damhal Hanji Pora in Kulgam two days ago.
On Tuesday, two separate attempts were... (GunPolicy.org)
Jamaica's 'Get the Guns' Campaign Seizes 336 Firearms
12 July 2016
Jamaica Observer
KINGSTON – The 'Get the Guns' campaign continues to reap results in the number of illegal guns seized by the security forces since the start of the year.
Communication Officer, Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), Superintendent Stephanie Lindsay, reports that law-enforcement officers have seized 336 illegal guns from communities all across Jamaica.
Speaking at a press conference at the Office of the Commissioner in St Andrew on July 11, Superintendent Lindsay said the... (GunPolicy.org)
1,300 Guns Destroyed in Ghana, 1.1 Million Still in Wrong Hands
11 July 2016
Graphic Online (Ghana)
The National Small Arms Commission (NSAC) last Saturday destroyed 1,300 illegal guns in the country but warned that there were still more than 1.1 million of such firearms and light weapons that might be in wrong hands.
The guns, which were marked and broken before being set on fire, included locally made single- and double-barrelled shotguns, locally made and imported pistols, pump action guns and local mortars.
The number of illegal firearms in wrong hands means that... (GunPolicy.org)
Review of New Zealand Gun Laws Likely to Lead to Changes
10 July 2016
Radio New Zealand
An internal review of how the police administer and monitor firearms is likely to lead to changes in the law, including allowing people to apply for a gun licence online.
The review was being carried out in parallel to the Parliamentary Select Committee inquiry into illegal gun possession, sparked by the shooting of four police officers in Kawerau and the seizure of a cache of illicit firearms in Auckland earlier this year.
Police national manager for police response... (GunPolicy.org)
Texas Gun Laws Blurred Lines Between Suspects and Marchers
10 July 2016
New York Times
DALLAS — As a demonstration against police shootings made its way downtown here on Thursday, it differed from others around the country in one startling way: Twenty to 30 of the marchers showed up with AR-15s and other types of military-style rifles and wore them openly, with the straps slung across their shoulders and backs.
In Texas, it was not only legal. It was commonplace.
The state has long been a bastion of pro-gun sentiment and the kind of place where both... (GunPolicy.org)
United Kingdom,Ireland,Norway,Iceland,New Zealand,United States
5 Countries Where Police Don't Carry Guns, and It Works [ES]
9 July 2016
El Dinamo (Chile)
[Translated summary: In Britain, Ireland, Norway, Iceland and New Zealand, officers don't carry guns when they are on patrol. The effectiveness of this strategy is reflected in the low crime rates of these countries. Some experts believe that, in the US, both citizens and police should be disarmed to make it safer.]
Tras los violentos hechos registrados en Estados Unidos durante esta semana, el Washington Post reveló los particulares casos que se viven en Gran... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Norway,Finland,Spain,Iceland,New Zealand,United Kingdom,Ireland
Handling Violence in Countries Where Police Don't Carry Guns
9 July 2016
Quartz (USA)
Another week, another police shooting in the United States. So far this year, 569 people have been killed by US police, according to The Guardian's count. Police brutality is a horrific normality and, in more ways than one, black men being shot by police has become the modern-day equivalent of lynching.
But, of course, it doesn't have to be this way. A police officer does not have to shoot to kill and, in several countries, a police officer does not even have to carry... (GunPolicy.org)
Number of Gun Licences Has Soared in Italy [IT]
9 July 2016
Corriere Milano (Italy)
[Translated summary: A recent homicide with a legally carried 9mm pistol brings back the central issue of gun carrying permits and the spread of weapons. There are currently 774,679 permits to carry firearms for hunting purposes in Italy, along with 471,000 licences for sports purposes (in 2007, there were half as many). Figures from the Ministry of the Interior show an increase of 12.4% for hunting licences and 18.4% for sports shooting.]
Il recente omicidio a Dorno... (GunPolicy.org)
Black US Gun Owners Treated Differently Than White Owners
8 July 2016
New York Times, Associated Press
WASHINGTON — One man told an officer during a Minnesota traffic stop that he was a licensed gun owner, and that he was reaching for his wallet, a witness said. The other was on the ground with police officers on top of him in Louisiana when someone shouted "He has a gun!"
Police in each circumstance thought the black man carrying a gun was dangerous and immediately shot him dead. Activists say black gun owners are often treated differently than white gun owners to a... (GunPolicy.org)
51 Times More Gun-Related Deaths In USA Than In Canada
8 July 2016
National Observer (USA)
Five police officers were killed in a Dallas mass-shooting Thursday night, blocks away from where President John F. Kennedy was assassinated 53 years ago.
Twelve police officers and two civilians were shot during the attack that saw one sniper — who targeted white police — open fire on officers working a peaceful protest in response to police shootings in Minnesota and Louisiana.
In Dallas, the shooter, 25-year-old Micah Johnson, was trained in the military and... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 31,500 Firearms Delivered to Peruvian National Police [ES]
7 July 2016
Peru 21
[Translated summary: With a US$13 million investment, Peruvian government acquired 31,557 firearms manufactured in the United States. These were given to the National Police to fight crime and insecurity. The lot includes 28,707 9x19 mm pistols, 150 assault rifles, 50 sub-machine guns, 5 sniper rifles and 50 pistols for the Police special units.]
Con una inversión de 13 millones de dólares, el Gobierno adquirió 31,557 armas de fuego fabricadas en Estados Unidos y... (GunPolicy.org)
Mistake Allowed Racist Mass Killer to Buy a Gun - US FBI
2 July 2016
Independent (UK)
The FBI is being sued by survivors of the deadly attack on a church in Charleston who say that mistakes by investigators allowed alleged shooter Dylann Roof to purchase a gun.
Nine people were killed in June 2015 as they attended a bible study at the Emanuel AME Church in the South Carolina city. Dylann Roof, 22, a white supremacist, has been charged with nine counts of murder over the shootings and he faces the death penalty if convicted.
In a lawsuit filed by three... (GunPolicy.org)
Seattle Refuses to Sell Police Guns, Destroys Them Instead
30 June 2016
Washington Times
The Seattle City Council has voted unanimously to melt down the Seattle Police Department's old firearms instead of selling them, the latest step in Mayor Ed Murray's push to reduce gun violence in the city.
The measure was introduced by the mayor and Councilwoman Sally Bagshaw as a step to reduce the number of guns in the country, a local CBS News affiliate, KIRO 7, reported.
"We're going to take the guns and destroy the guns," Mr. Murray told the station. "They're... (GunPolicy.org)
French Police Lifeguards Can Now Carry Guns on Beach Patrol
28 June 2016
Local (France)
Authorities in France have given specialist police lifeguards the right to carry arms when they patrol French beaches this summer. It marks a first in France.
The move is a direct consequence of the terror threat facing French police that brutally revealed itself in the double murder of a policeman and his partner at their home in Magnanville near Paris earlier this month.
As a result CRS lifeguards who monitor some of the busier beaches in France will have the right... (GunPolicy.org)
Ten Guns a Week Stolen in Western Australia: Handguns Too
26 June 2016
Sunday Times (Western Australia)
Almost 1000 guns have been reported stolen in WA in the past two years, with many feared to be in the hands of criminals.
WA Police figures show 992 firearms were reported stolen between April 2014 and April this year - an average of almost 10 a week.
Most of the stolen guns - 906 - were "long arm" firearms, such as rifles, and two thirds of all the reported thefts (612) happened in regional WA.
WA Police said it only recovered about 90 stolen guns each year, meaning... (GunPolicy.org)
Venezuela Destroyed More Than 12,000 Firearms in 2016 [ES]
22 June 2016
Correo del Orinoco (Venezuela)
[Translated summary: Venezuelan authorities have seized a total of 12,772 firearms during the current year in 51 different tactical operations. The Minister for Justice and Peace noted that some firearms were the result of voluntary surrender from civilians who "are tired of being armed and they traded them for domestic appliances, so they can live in harmony."]
Un total de 12 mil 772 armas de fuego han sido inutilizadas durante este año por las autoridades... (GunPolicy.org)
New York Men Accused of Selling 100 Illegal Assault Weapons
21 June 2016
New York Times
Three New York men were accused on Tuesday of selling over 100 illegal assault weapons from a shop near Rochester in what the authorities said was the largest gun seizure made by the state attorney general's office since the SAFE Act was passed by the State Legislature after the 2012 mass shooting at a Connecticut school.
The owner of the gun shop, Kordell Jackson, 40, of West Henrietta, was arrested on charges including three counts of first-degree criminal sale of a... (GunPolicy.org)
How Rare Illegal Firearms Find Their Way Onto British Streets
20 June 2016
The Conversation (UK)
How it is possible to get hold of weapons in Britain despite tough laws that restrict their ownership and use? This strict firearm legislation, enacted chiefly through the Firearms Act 1968 and amendments following the 1987 Hungerford mass shooting and 1996 Dunblane mass shoting, has reduced the number of purpose-made firearms in circulation. This has contributed to the number of firearms offences (including those using airguns and air rifles) falling from a high of... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany Has 'Some of the Strictest Gun Laws in Europe'
16 June 2016
Local (Germany)
1. Germany has some of the strictest gun laws in Europe
The US Library of Congress defines the German gun control system as "one of the most stringent in Europe".
And professor Christian Pfeiffer of Criminology Research Institute of Lower Saxony also told The Local that Germany's laws were some of the toughest worldwide.
Germans do not have fundamental rights to bear arms, unlike Americans do under the Second Amendment, and the country's violent past including the... (GunPolicy.org)
Hidden Handgun Ban Lifted in Haiti [FR]
15 June 2016
Vant Bef Info (Haiti)
[Translated summary: Haiti's Ministry of Justice and Public Security has lifted the measure suspending all permits to carry firearms.]
Près de 5 jours après avoir suspendu tous les permis de port d'armes sur toute l'étendue du territoire, le ministère de la justice et de la sécurité publique (MJSP) est revenu sur sa décision, a appris Vant Bèf Info.
En effet, suite à une réunion du Conseil supérieur de la Police Nationale (CSPN), tenue ce 15 juin 2016,... (GunPolicy.org)