Since the first New Year’s Day this year, there has been a weapons amnesty in Norway. Anyone who has illegal weapons can now hand them in to the police without being punished for it. But only for one more week. The amnesty is over after 31 May. – We are very happy for everyone who took advantage of the opportunity, says section chief in the Norwegian Police Directorate Liv Aasberg Corneliussen. During the first four months, people have handed in 8,103 weapons to the police. Unregistered shotguns and rifles account for the majority of these weapons. Four months into the weapons amnesty, the police had received almost 7,000 illegal rifles and shotguns. Photo: Rodrigo Freitas / NTB The last time there was a weapons amnesty in Norway, in 2017, the police seized 8,000 illegal weapons. Based on experience, most people come with their weapons towards the end of the weapons amnesty, says Corneliussen. – We expect a greater increase towards the end, so that also means that more weapons will come in now at the store, she says. 65 machine guns Before May, the police had received 65 machine guns and 19 machine guns. In addition, they have received 769 pistols, 350 revolvers and 29 combination weapons. Shotguns and rifles account for the majority of submissions. From January to the end of April, the police received a total of 3,252 shotguns and 3,592 rifles. Assault rifles, hand grenades and nunchaku on the table at the Oslo police station in Greenland. Photo: Rodrigo Freitas / NTB The amnesty also applies to ammunition and illegal weapons that are not firearms, such as electric shock weapons, karate sticks (nunchaku) and tear gas. By May, the police had received over 7 tonnes of ammunition and 551 illegal weapons that are not subject to registration, such as knives. Number of weapons delivered to the police (January-April) Agder: 542 Finnmark: 104 Inland: 1125 Møre and Romsdal: 571 Nordland: 179 Oslo: 1449 South-west: 102 South-east: 422 Troms: 102 Trøndelag: 1474 West: 817 East: 1,167 The head of state in Svalbard: 49 Source: NTB/Nationen Of the various police districts, it is Trøndelag that has received the most weapons with a total of 1,474 illegal weapons. Behind comes Oslo with 1,449, and then East police district with 1,167. Preventing crime and accidents The gun amnesty was created to prevent crime and prevent accidents involving firearms, according to the government. On Thursday, Minister of Justice Emilie Enger Mehl (Sp) visited the Greenland police station in Oslo. – I’m glad these weapons are now out of a potentially illegal market and can do no harm, Mehl told NTB. Light machine guns supplied under the arms amnesty. Photo: Rodrigo Freitas / NTB After handing in the weapon, you can apply to keep it legally, get permission to sell it on or have the weapon sealed. Then you can store the weapon legally. If you are to deliver explosives, explosives, grenades, gunpowder or fireworks, you must contact the police by telephone. You must not take this to the police yourself. On Tuesday, the police at Stovner were forced to close the public watch because there was too much explosive, writes Nordstrands Blad. Fines or prison terms The weapons amnesty lasts until 1 June this year. From this date, you can no longer deliver illegal weapons without risking punishment. The police have also received a bomb launcher during the weapons amnesty. Photo: Rodrigo Freitas / NTB If someone is caught in possession of illegal weapons, they can be punished with fines or imprisonment for up to three months. If it is a more serious case, a prison sentence of up to six years can be imposed. – All the police districts want to bring in as many weapons as possible now that the amnesty is on, so it’s just a matter of continuing to hand them in, says section chief Corneliussen in the Police Directorate. – I am happy with everything that is delivered. In terms of experience, it is weapons from the Second World War, heirloom weapons or weapons from coffins that are delivered under the amnesty, the government states. The first national arms amnesty after the Second World War was from September 2003 to August 2004. Then the police received 35,000 illegal weapons. During the weapons amnesty in 2008, the police received 13,000 illegal weapons.
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65 submachine guns and 19 machine guns – the police expect the number to rise – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
