Search form

menu menu

Nearly 650,000 weapons registered in Belgium

19:35 08/03/2016

Ten years after the introduction of Belgium's Weapons Act, there are 647,388 weapons in the central arms register (CWR). About 117,000 of the weapons that were registered prior to the new act have “disappeared”, writes Knack, based on figures from the justice ministry.

The introduction of the new Weapons Act in 2006 came with an amnesty period during which gun owners had the option to surrender their weapons. Before the act went into force, Belgium counted 889,937 registered weapons in the CWR. As of 1 January, 2016, there were 647,388. During the amnesty period, 125,000 weapons were surrendered and destroyed, which leaves about 117,000 weapons unaccounted for.

According to the justice ministry, there are several possible explanations for the "disappearance", including errors in the weapons registry and a number of weapons that were illegally exported, lost or broken.

Written by Robyn Boyle

Comments

Mikek1300gt

I wonder if Belgium has any idea where MILIONS of guns have gone after Belgium exported them?

Mar 8, 2016 18:38