The Civil Guard destroyed more than 60,000 weapons during 2020

These actions are framed within the regulations in force in Spain and are added to the United Nations Program of Action on the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, which originated in the United Nations International Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms. and Lightweight held in July 2001.

At the aforementioned Conference, it was clear, among other issues, “the concern over the illicit manufacture, transfer and circulation of small arms and light weapons and their excessive accumulation and uncontrolled proliferation in many regions of the world, which has humanitarian and socio-economic consequences of great importance. diverse in nature and poses a serious threat to peace, reconciliation, security, stability and sustainable development at the individual, local, national, regional and international levels ”.

From there, the UN established that, every July 9, the International Day for the Destruction of Firearms would be celebrated, in order to promote actions for the elimination of firearms of illicit origin.

Currently, the competence in matters of weapons and explosives that the State has, is materialized through the Interventions of Weapons and Explosives of the Civil Guard.

These units control legal access to weapons, for which the current Regulation establishes certain requirements, among which are the lack of a criminal record as well as the passing of theoretical and practical tests on their use and handling.

Likewise, to prevent a weapon from being used improperly when the owner ceases to have the right to its possession and use, the regulations establish that they be rendered useless or destroyed.

The disablement of a weapon, as of 2011, is regulated by very strict regulations, in such a way that it is subjected to a process that affects all the fundamental parts of it, making it impossible to use it again with full operating capacity.

Likewise, the Civil Guard, periodically, carries out the destruction of firearms of various calibers, as well as prohibited knives. Some of them are involved in illegal, criminal or administrative activities and after the corresponding procedure their destruction is determined; and others, which because their holders of the right to possession and use cease and have not been awarded in auctions, have the same purpose. This allows weapons to be scrapped by a smelting or similar process.

For any questions or clarification in relation to the content of this note, you should contact the Peripheral Communication Office of the Headquarters of Arms, Explosives and Security, telephone 682.844.368.