In a statement, the PSP’s national command said that there were seven operations to destroy weapons last year, in which a total of 26,473 firearms and knives of various sorts were eliminated.

The first operation of the new year took place on Monday, with the destruction by the PSP’s Department of Weapons and Explosives of a total of 3,133 firearms and knives.

According to the PSP, the weapons now destroyed were declared as lost in favour of the state in the ambit of criminal or civil cases, with most having been seized during police anti-crime operations. Some were handed over voluntarily by their owners or people who found them.