The government's clampdown on firearms and seizures of high-powered semi-automatic weapons has had no impact on a rise in gun crime and violence in New Zealand.
Firearms prohibited under firearm legislation on display to media at a police press conference.
Photo: RNZ / Ana Tovey
Today marks the second anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks, in which military style semi-automatic weapons, purchased legally, were used to gun down 51 innocent worshippers.
That sparked tougher gun laws and the much debated firearms buy-back.
But in 2020, gun crime hit a new peak.
Police figures show 2399 people were charged with 4542 firearm-related offences, nearly double that of a decade earlier.