The Guard Civil has carried out the destruction of over 1,500 confiscated weapons in Las Palmas (Gran Canaria) as part of its ongoing efforts to improve public safety and prevent these arms from falling into the wrong hands. The operation was conducted by the Weapons and Explosives Division of the Las Palmas Command, in accordance with the current Spanish Firearms Regulation.
The Guard Civil emphasised that the objective of this destruction is to permanently remove the weapons from circulation, ensuring they "never end up on the black market in the hands of criminals," thereby improving security for all citizens.
The weapons were taken to a steelworks where they were melted down and turned into scrap metal. Among the destroyed items, shotguns made up the largest number, but the collection also included rifles, pistols, revolvers, air guns, spearguns, bladed weapons, and various alarm and signal weapons.
These weapons had been confiscated or deposited with authorities for several reasons: some were voluntarily handed in by private owners who requested their destruction; others were ordered to be destroyed by judicial or administrative authorities.
Additional weapons had been stored for safekeeping by people who failed to reclaim them within the specified time frame, while some lacked proper markings, serial numbers, or certifications, classifying them as prohibited items.
This destruction initiative is part of the Comprehensive Firearms Control Plan (PICAF), which aligns with both national legislation and the United Nations' directives on arms control. The plan aims to prevent the illegal trafficking of firearms, ensure that decommissioned weapons are not reactivated, and stop the modification of alarm and gas guns into functional firearms.
