Belgian police recall 6,000 guns after pin block

The Belgian police have recalled 6,000 guns from officers across the country. The weapons all need to be checked and possibly repaired after one of the guns had a firing pin block.

The recalled guns are of the type MP9 (Military & Police), a semi-automatic pistol made by American company Smith & Wesson. In 2010, the federal police ordered 8,000 MP9s for a total of €4.35 million, 6,000 of which are distributed among the officers, while the remaining 2,000 are held in reserve.

"One of the weapons blocked during a routine shooting exercise," says Tine Hollevoet, spokeswoman for the Federal Police. "It was due to a manufacturing error on the part of Smith & Wesson. The manufacturer has since provided us with spare parts, and soon we will check all guns and make the necessary repairs. Thanks to the 2,000 guns in stock, we can carry out the recall in such a way that no officer should have to go without a gun."