Authorities arrest 120 people in latest crackdown on unlicensed weapons

AMMAN — As part of its nationwide campaign to combat festive firing and confiscate unlicensed firearms, the Public Security Department (PSD) on Wednesday announced that it had arrested 333 suspects reportedly found in possession of 393 unlicensed firearms since the start of its campaign on June 27.

The PSD also announced the arrest of 120 people who were reportedly found in possession of 146 unlicensed weapons during the latest week of the campaign, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The PSD said that it will intensify its campaign in the coming days, which coincides with the announcement of Tawjihi (general secondary education certificate examination) results.

The campaign is ongoing, the statement added, urging the public to report any incident by contacting 911 to report shootings anonymously. 

The PSD recently renewed its campaign targeting celebratory firing and the owning of unlicensed firearms in an effort to curb the phenomenon. Authorities pledged to adopt the "most severe legal and administrative measures, possible", against perpetrators of festive firing.

The PSD also promised to conduct campaigns throughout the governorates and arrest any person in possession of a firearm without a licence, as well as those selling weapons and ammunition specifically for celebratory firing.