AK47 HANDED OVER IN GUNS AMNESTY
COPS SAY SCOTLAND IS NOW ‘SAFER PLACE’ FIREARMS CACHE
AN AK47 assault rifle and a machine gun were among weapons removed from Scotland’s streets in a two-week amnesty.
A total of 474 firearms, 690 air weapons and 337 lots of ammunition were surrendered across the country.
The AK47 – also known as a Kalashnikov – is the weapon of choice for terrorists and can fire at a rate of up to 600 rounds per minute.
It is popular because it is reliable, easily maintained and all its parts can be easily replaced.
Both the deactivated AK47 and the machine gun – a World War I model – were recovered in the north-east.
Just 34 guns were handed over in Greater Glasgow – four less than in the Highlands.
Police Scotland said the two-week amnesty exceeded their expectations.
Many of the weapons recovered were old, but officers say that in the hands of criminals, they could have been used for armed robberies.
Superintendent Ronnie Megaughin said: “The purpose of the campaign was to remove unwanted and 1 Deactivated AK47 2 Deactivated Lee Enfield Rifle 3 Air rifle 4 Air rifle 5 Air Rifle 6 Deactivated Browning
M50 machine gun BY KEITH MCLEOD k.mcleod@dailyrecord.co.uk unlicensed firearms from potentially the hands of criminality. That was our main focus.
“We went to the public and asked them to surrender unlicensed firearms.
“They have surrendered in excess of 1000 weapons and touching 350 batches of ammunition.
“It far exceeds what we anticipated or expected but it is testimony to the public of Scotland.
“It has made Scotland a safer place for everybody that resides within it.”
The amnesty lasted from June 18 to July 1. Among the guns surrendered were viable modern handguns. Megaughin added: “The machine gun was a vintage World War I model. But the reality is that when you’re talking about firearms, whether they are decommissioned or not, if you’re a criminal and you’re pointing it at someone, the victim has no idea whether it is viable or not. “There were also modern handguns, which are clearly illegal.” The weapons will now be destroyed.