3,300 weapons handed in during knife amnesty

Last week, 3,300 weapons were handed in to the police during the national knife amnesty. A range of weapons including machetes, butterfly knives and stilettos, as well as kitchen knives and homemade stabbing weapons, were dropped into secure bins located at police stations across the country. During the collection week, between 11 and 17 October, people could hand in their bladed, striking and thrust weapons anonymously and without facing punishment in 218 municipalities. The campaign was mainly targeted at young people. In some of the participating municipalities, it was also possible to hand in firearms, ammunition and explosives, by arrangement.

The 3,300 weapons in total that were surrendered included over 2,000 knives, 200 other stabbing weapons, almost 500 firearms and 600 other types of weapon, as well as large quantities of ammunition, according to a provisional count. Every weapon disposed of in this way reduces the risk of knife crime on the streets. Besides reducing the possession of weapons in the community, the weapons amnesty also aims to make it clear to youngsters that carrying a weapon is not normal and is very dangerous. To get this message across, the Ministry of Justice and Security launched the ‘drop your knife’ awareness campaign on 13 September, aimed at youngsters who regularly carry knives.

The number of young people aged 12-17 who are suspected of either committing or attempting to commit fatal and serious violent crimes has risen sharply in recent years. This prompted Minister of Justice and Security Ferd Grapperhaus and Minister for Legal Protection Sander Dekker to launch the Weapons and Youth action plan in November last year. The action plan aims to reduce the possession and use of firearms among young people by means of preventive, proactive and repressive measures. The action plan was drawn up in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, the police, the Public Prosecution Service, the HALT Bureau, Youth Rehabilitation, the Child Care and Protection Board, the Centre for Crime Prevention and Public Safety, the Association of Netherlands Municipalities and 15 municipalities with urgent weapon-related problems.