A late surge saw more than 9000 firearms surrendered in Victoria by the end of the National Firearms Amnesty, Victoria Police says.
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Preliminary estimates put the expected number of surrendered firearms around 4000, while federal government figures released shortly after the end of the amnesty in September put the state’s tally at 3654.
Read more: Amnesty draws to a close
But Superintendent Paul Millett, from Victoria Police’s licensing and regulation division, said more than 1050 firearms were handed in each week in the final three weeks of September.
Superintendent Millett said 9175 firearms, 151 weapons and 103 firearm parts were surrendered during the three-month amnesty.
“Overall this has been a pleasing result for the Victorian community and it represents the most effective amnesty this state has seen for more than a decade,” he said.
More than 3400 firearms were surrendered in Victoria Police’s western region, which includes Bendigo.
Read more: Guns surrendered across central Victoria
Superintendent Millett said more than 98 per cent of surrendered firearms had not been previously registered in Victoria.
“Twenty-one per cent of firearms surrendered have already been acquired by existing licence holders and a further 29 per cent have been destroyed by police,” he said.
The remaining firearms have been registered and will be transferred to existing licence holders, sold secondhand by licensed firearms dealers, or destroyed.
Victoria Police says a number of rare and historically valuable firearms also came to light during the amnesty and have since entered museums.
While the amnesty has ended, police encourage anyone with unwanted weapons to contact their local police station to arrange the surrender of those items.