A total of 11 rifles, consisting of .22 rifles, a 12-gauge shotgun and a sniper-scope rifle were surrendered to the police during a Firearm Amnesty that ran from December 17, 2010 to January 21, 2011.

During the Tonga Police weekly Crime Report Program with the local media on Tuesday, February 15, Police Commander Chris Kelley displayed the surrendered rifles at the Police Headquarter, Longolongo, and stressed his deep concern about the circulation of illegal and lethal weapons in Tonga.

He said that ten of the 11 rifles were never registered in Tonga. One was registered but had since expired, but because of the amnesty there will be no prosecution.

Smuggled

The Commander said investigation by police revealed that a number of firearms were smuggled into Tonga over years in cargo containers, imported vehicles, visiting yachts, "and even directly through the postal system, as incredible as it sounds."

He stressed that the police is targeting to take possession of all illegal firearms in Tonga, "because there is no place for them in Tonga.

"I am concerned about the safety of people in Tonga, with all these illegal firearms around."

In the whole of Tonga there are to date 2000 licensed firearms, 850 of them in Tongatapu alone.

Crimes

He said police recorded over 80 cases relating to firearm offences during the past three years. During the first six months of 2010 there were 20 reported cases in comparison to 16 firearm offences in 2009 and 43 in 2008.

"During the last two years we have witnessed firearms being used in robbery cases, intimidation cases and suicide incidents, as well as other offences relating to firearms," he said.

The Commander reminded the public that they have until February 28 to license their firearms or face prosecution, and pistols and automatics firearms are two types of firearms that are banned from Tonga.

"We need to take out all unnecessary and illegal firearms away from people who could use them for illegal purposes," he said.