Gun Seizures at UK Border Control Drops by More Than 50%

8.36.00pm GMT Sat 29th Mar 2008

The Government seems unable to take the necessary steps to take guns off our streets

The Government's failure to take gun crime seriously was highlighted this week in new figures uncovered by the Liberal Democrats. Statistics from a parliamentary answer show that the number of guns seized at UK borders has more than halved in a year.

Liberal Democrat research has also shown that nine times as many customs officers work on stopping cigarette smuggling than gun smuggling.

Lib Dem Shadow Home Secretary Chris Huhne comments "MPs are happy to use the fear of gun crime to chase headlines but are seemingly unable to take the necessary steps to take guns off our streets. The much vaunted new border force is merely the re-branding of existing functions and not the answer to tackling gun smuggling. What is required is a co-ordinated National Border Force, which unites the present border control functions of HM Customs & Excise, the Immigration & Nationality Directorate and the police to guard our ports and airports."