The Guardia Civil photographs one million weapons for the National Weapons Registry

The Guardia Civil has photographed one million weapons (so far) in the computer system of the National Weapons Registry (RNA) located in the Central Intervention of Weapons and Explosives of the Guardia Civil.

This initiative comes after the European Union adopted, in a recent directive -already transposed into the Spanish weapons regulations-, the obligation to establish a file that guarantees the complete identification of the weapon (type, brand, model, calibre and serial number). In this file, any transformation or modification of a firearm must also be recorded.

The computer system of the National Weapons Registry (RNA) is the weapons file and in which weapons and their characteristics are registered.

Since then, the Weapons and Explosives Interventions are gradually and constantly photographing the firearms as part of the review that they have to pass before the Guardia Civil every 5 years.

Up to 7 photographs of each weapon are taken of the general appearance and the identifying marks, as well as any deterioration or damage they may present. In general, any brand that allows unequivocal identification of the weapon.

7 million registered photographs

There are already almost 7 million registered photographs in the RNA. These photographs add legal security to the gun owner as the characteristics of their weapons are graphically outlined and have not undergone modifications.

In addition, the RNA data and its photographs can be accessed by police forces for their investigative work and by the competent authorities to grant licences and authorisations for firearms. Likewise, the judicial authority for the prosecution of criminal offences.

These data and therefore the photographs, as required by European and national law, will be stored for up to 30 years after their destruction.

Currently, there are still almost another 2 million weapons to be photographed, a task that will be carried out in the coming years.

Guardia Civil, exclusive jurisdiction in activities related to weapons

The Guardia Civil, to safeguard public safety, has been granted exclusive jurisdiction over any activity related to weapons, as a further guarantee of compliance with the obligation to record data. In 2015, a tool was implemented in the RNA that allows photographs of weapons that are considered convenient to be incorporated into it.