Wellington - Police in New Zealand received more than 2 000
semi-automatic firearms at government gun buyback events held over
the weekend after the country banned certain weapons following the
deadly attack on two mosques in Christchurch in March.
"Momentum is slowly starting to build as community collection events
are held across the entire country," Police Minister Stuart Nash said
in a statement on Sunday evening.
Police have held a total of 25 buyback events over the past week.
"Provisional figures show 2,143 firearms owners have participated
since the buyback got underway, handing in 3,275 firearms, 7,827
prohibited parts and accessories, and receiving payments of 6.2
million New Zealand dollars (4.2 million US dollars) in
compensation," he said.
"I've lost a friend in the events in Christchurch and I don't see the
reason why we should be allowed guns like this," Auckland man Farooq
Kassibawi told Radio New Zealand in a story published on Monday.
"This only works if everybody abides by the rules, so I'd really like
to urge all gun owners to abide by the rules so we can keep New
Zealand safe," he added.
Owners have until December 20 to hand in illegal weapons under an
amnesty agreement, after New Zealand banned most semi-automatic
firearms, some pump action shotguns and certain large capacity
magazines in April.
The ban came less than a month after 51 people were killed and dozens
injured when a suspected white supremacist opened fire at the
Christchurch mosques.