In commemoration of the International Day of Peace, celebrated this Friday, September 21, the Costa Rican Ministry of Security destroyed a total of 1,423 firearms that had been seized in different operation

The guns, linked to different judiciary processes, arrived at the National Arsenal with the respective orders of destruction, process which was carried out between Thursday, September 20 and Friday, September 21.

This process has been carried out by the National Arsenal since the year 2006 and to date a total of 66,821 firearms have been destroyed following strict controls and with the supervision of the Minister of Security Michael Soto. According to Soto, approximately 50% of the guns destroyed were entered into the country legally and had proper registration.

Waste resulting of the destroying of this firearms is donated to the Costa Rican Technology Institute where the parts are used in different projects.

Among the firearms destroyed are revolvers, handguns and rifles.

Seven out of every ten homicides in the country involve the use of a firearm.