Police in Manitoba will be destroying hundreds of firearms turned in voluntarily through a gun amnesty program in June.

The Manitoba Association of Chiefs of Police today announced nearly 700 firearms and 22,000 rounds of ammunition were turned in.

"That consists of, you know, shotguns, a lot of hand guns, some restricted guns... and imitation weapons as well. This is throughout rural Manitoba and also a large portion in the City of Winnipeg and Brandon," said
RCMP Commanding Officer Assistant Commissioner and MACP president Scott Kolody today.

Justice minister Heather Stefanson said these firearms will never be used for a crime in our province.

"We knew from the beginning that there were Manitobans out there who may have acquired firearms or ammunition that they didn't want or use, and perhaps didn't even have the proper authorization to own," said Stefanson.

Kolody said most of what was turned in will be destroyed, but some will be kept for historical, educational, and training purposes. On the historical end, police received a nine-pound cannonball, an old military bomb, and more.

Through the gun amnesty program, no charges were to be laid against people turning in a firearm, unless the weapon was used to commit a crime or was stolen. MACP say no charges resulted from anything turned in during this June's gun amnesty program.