PSP destroys 9,000 guns in the largest operation ever – Portugal

The Public Security Police (PSP) on Monday destroyed about 9,000 rifles, a number never recorded before "on one occasion," said Superintendent and Director of the Department of Arms and Explosives (DAE), Pedro Moura.

On the occasion of the International Day of Destruction of Arms, celebrated by United Nations agencies, non-governmental organizations and the Government, the Secretary of State for Home Affairs, Isabel Oneto, participated in the eighth destruction of the year.

"We had never destroyed so many weapons, especially firearms, at one point," said Pedro Moura, explaining that these stem from "seizures" , voluntary surrenders or administrative processes ". only in the commands of the north of the country, weapons that serve "no museological, scientific, training or operational interest" and which will be recycled.

s we recorded this year, are slightly higher than those recorded last year, which was the one where there were more weapons seizures and more voluntary deliveries. In the first five months of 2018, approximately 4,000 weapons were seized and nearly 9,000 were delivered voluntarily, 40,000 ammunition seized, and another 40,000 were voluntarily delivered. "

These figures of the greatest misgivings are explained by:" the work of the security forces, the result of more vigilance, but also of the attitude of citizens who do not want their weapons " and who deliver to the PSP, something that advises to do more and more.

typology, the largest number of weapons are hunting, "because of the tradition in Portugal", there is also " weapons of war "and" a bit of everything ", with" pistols, revolvers, transformed weapons, beasts and machine guns "

" [São] weapons that were in the possession of citizens, people who over the years were Hunters and snipers Nowadays, having a weapon at home incurs costs, so there are a lot of costs associated with having weapons at home, without using them. "

He also stated that "there is a minority of weapons belonging to ex – servicemen who have come from all over the world. Overseas and who brought these weapons, who make these voluntary surrenders. "

He added that he had not confirmed the number of illegal guns because he did not know" what is the number. "(ASAR)" has shown that firearms offenses have decreased in a consolidated downward trend. "

" There are fewer offenses, there are fewer weapons seizures used in these crimes. " to arrive, in a certain crisis, the number to shoot.A case of a few months ago: a widow of a doctor asked us to go home to look for weapons that her husband had and when we arrived, there were 300 rifles, so only 300 weapons were collected by the PSP Imagine a robbery in this residence, the danger that these weapons will fall into the criminal and illegal scene. "

also conceded that "the greatest number of weapons exists in districts where there are more people authorized by the PSP."

According to the onnaire, there are about "226 thousand active permits of any kind, whether they are defense, hunting or gathering", referring to districts such as Porto, Braga, Viseu and Vila Real