The HCM City People’s Committee has instructed local people to hand over any weapons or explosives that they may be keeping to the municipal police or army forces.
Weapons widely sold at several markets in HCM City
Any person found not to comply with the request will have their weapons or explosives confiscated.
The municipal police have been assigned responsibility for mobilising locals to hand over their weapons putting in place measures to prevent the illegal production, import, trading and storage of weapons in the city.
Districts have set up steering boards to hold awareness campaigns for the dangers of weapons, encouraging residents to pledge not to produce, trade, carry or use weapons illegally.
Individuals and households housing shotguns, airguns, self-made weapons or even rudimentary weapons handed down as heirlooms must be surrendered to police or army forces.
Security and army units are responsible for confiscating weapons and the licenses to use them from organisations which should not allowed to possess them according to the law.
Former soldiers or police who have kept their weapons as their souvenirs, gifts or war trophies are also obliged to give these up.
The Department of Industry and Trade and the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism will cooperate with the local police to check weapons used at sports clubs and training centres in the city.
According to Tien Phong Newspaper, weapons including knives, swords, scimitars and even K59 guns, are being publicly sold at several markets in HCM City.