Illegal firearms can be handed in anonymously

weapons collectionWeapons collection.Photo: Heiko Junge / SCANPIX .

From Wednesday and for a further three months, anyone with illegal firearms can give them in to the police without risking punishment.

During the weapons amnesty, which will last until June 1, one can also hand in weapons anonymously the police said.

Those who submit illegal weapons may, as an alternative to destruction, apply to have the weapon plumbed, apply to have it registered so that it can be resold, or they can apply to keep the weapon themselves.

People who avail themselves of the amnesty, are not risking revocation of their weapons licence or rejection of future weapons applications, the police are emphasizing.

Meanwhile, it is emphasized that all who are caught with illegal weapons, risk up to two years in prison. For serious cases, the maximum sentence is four years. If one has a firearms license for another weapon, one must additionally expect to lose it.

– Illegal possession of firearms pose a risk to society. Experience shows that a weapons amnesty is a good tool to reduce the number of unregistered firearms, said Justice Minister Per-Willy Amundsen in January, when the weapons amnesty was announced.

Under the previous amnesties granted in 2003/04 and 2008, the police received respectively 35,000 and 7,000 firearms.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today

 

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