Shootings and interrogations. In the aftermath of the tragedy in Poitiers, the debate around the circulation of firearms in France is relaunched.
In France, there are around five million gun owners, including four million hunters. In detail, there are nearly 2,000 category A weapons, around 1.4 million category B weapons and 4 million category C weapons.
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The possession of firearms is subject to very strict legislation which requires holders to declare to the authorities what they have in their possession. If the authorities try to strengthen the control system, more and more illegal weapons are in circulation.
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Ten million illegal weapons
According to data from the Ministry of the Interior, around ten million illegal weapons were in circulation in the country in 2023. Data that is difficult to quantify.
On the other hand, seizures are increasing considerably. In 2022, weapon seizures increased by 9.5% in France compared to 2021. In detail, 8,027 weapons were seized by the police in 2022, compared to 7,330 in 2021.
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For comparison, since 2015, the authorities have seized on average “ between 6,000 and 7,000 weapons each year », Specified a police source.
Among the 8,027 weapons seized, 297 were category A weapons, listed as “ weapons and war materials » by the authorities and completely banned in France.
Still according to a police source, 25% of weapons seized each year are seized as part of investigations into drug trafficking.
