There was a 14% rise in the number of incidents involving guns in the Netherlands last year, despite efforts to crack down on the illegal weapons trade, according to new figures from the police and the Dutch public prosecution department.

In total, the police registered 646 firearms incidents last year, up 79 on 2018. Despite the increase, the number of people dying from gun-related injuries fell marginally, from 34 to 31. At least one person was injured in a further 131 incidents.

The use of hand grenades as a warning is also on the increase, police say. Last year, police registed 61 incidents involving a total of 82 hand grenades, compared with 43 incidents in 2018 and just 22 in 2017.

Illegal weapons

Police seized 5,700 illegal firearms last year, about the same as in 2018.  ‘There is a continual demand for guns within the criminal fraternity,’ police spokesman Dick Schouten said.

‘Weapons and hand grenades continue to find their way to the Netherlands… and the free movement of people and in trade does not make our job any easier.’

The Netherlands, he said, remains an important link in the international arms trade, he said.

At the same time, the Netherlands also needs to tighten up legislation on how much ammunition licenced gun owners can have, he said. ‘Legal ammunition is sometimes ending up on the criminal circuit,’ he said. ‘By limiting the amount, you make it that bit harder to get hold of.’