16 January 2020
Our Reference: IR-01-19-26583
Ian McDonald
Email: [FYI request #11313 email]
Dear Ian
I am writing to you in response to your request dated 28 September 2019. You
requested:
1. The number of firearms seized from Licenced Firearm Owners since March
15th 2019.
2. The number of Licenced Firearms Owners who have had firearms seized since
March 15th 2019.
3. A break down of offenses under the Arms Act and numbers in which those
Licenced Firearm Owners were charged with that led to the seizure of their
firearms.
4. A break down of offenses and numbers in which those Licenced Firearm
Owners were successfully prosecuted or pending trial.
5. How many of those Licenced Firearm Owners who had their firearms seized,
resulted in having their Firearms Licenses canceled.
6. A break down of the type of firearms seized.
7. Of those who have had their firearms seized, how many (numbers of people
and numbers of firearms), have since been returned to their owners.
Between 15 March and 1 December 2019, Police has seized 415 firearms under section
6 or 18 of the Search and Surveillance Act 2002 from situations where at least one of the
people present had a firearms licence. There were 120 unique firearms licence holders
present at these seizure events.
Your questions 3 and 4 are refused in accordance with section 18(g) of the Official
Information Act 1982 as the information you requested is not held. As per section 6 or 18
of the Search and Surveillance Act 2002, a prosecution charge is not a necessary
precursor to a seizure. The seizure could be due to a family harm event, mental health
issues, a search warrant, or any other reasons stipulated in those two sections of the Act.
A firearms licence is cancelled usually when its holder dies. I interpreted your question to
mean how many no longer have an active licence. Of the 120 firearms licence holders, as
at 2 Dec 2019, 27 have had their licence revoked, five have surrendered their licence,
Police National Headquarters 180 Molesworth Street. PO Box 3017, Wellington 6140, New Zealand.
Telephone: 04 474 9499. Fax: 04 498 7400. www.police.govt.nz
two have had their licence expire and they provided an explanation for not renewing it,
and 26 firearms licence holders are currently going through the process of having their
licence revoked.
The firearms that were seized are listed by type below.
Firearm Type
Firearms
Airgun - handgun
3
Airgun - rifle
25
Handgun - pistol
4
Imitation - rifle
2
MSSA - Military Style Semi Automatic
7
Prohibited rifle
4
Rifle - cut down
1
Rifle - full length
261
Shotgun - cut down
5
Shotgun - full length
103
Total
415
Your question 7 is refused in accordance with section 18(g) of the Official Information Act
1982 as the information you request is not held.
Where your questions were refused, you have the right to seek an investigation and
review by the Ombudsman of this decision.
For your information, Police has developed a process for proactive release of information,
so the anonymised response to your request may be publicly released on the New
Zealand Police website.
Yours sincerely
Mike McIlraith
Acting Superintendent
Arms Act Service Delivery Group
