Cops call for Scots gun amnesty amid rise in 3D printed arms and Ukraine war

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Scotland would benefit from a first major weapons amnesty in 30 years, law enforcement experts say.The Scottish Police ­Federation and the Law Enforcement Action ­Partnership (LEAP) are calling for measures to get firearms out of circulation and make the streets safer.They say new technology, the dark web, terrorism and the war in Ukraine mean illegal weapons remain a danger to communities.Simon McLean, chair of LEAP Scotland, said: ­“Explosives and weapons of every ­description are becoming prevalent again in our communities.“An amnesty for all types of weapons would be a fantastic idea to make our ­communities safer.”He said unregistered weapons used to be the main issue but that the problem is “much wider now because methods of ­importation and communication are growing”.He added: “You can print a gun now, a single-use gun.

People can go on the dark web.“We have single-use firearms which are basically explosives going off.“We have a whole range of firearms now that are much more dangerous.”McLean, who played a major role in a large-scale Scotland-wide gun amnesty in 1993, added: “The job of policing now is focused on organised crime and the profound effects of crime on our communities across the nation.“One of the priorities of making our communities safer would be to reduce the amount of weapons available to those involved in crime of all ­descriptions.“Firearms are being imported alongside the drugs trade.”Scottish Police Federation chairman David Threadgold, 49, believes an amnesty covering weapons including blades such as swords and knives could make neighbourhoods safer.He said: “There are people that will take a legally held firearm and use it for ­criminal activity.“We’ve got to get that balance right, of