Early last month the police arrived in the municipality of Zaanstad in five days four times in action in stab incidents involving mainly young people. “We hear that young people are arming themselves. There seems to be a sort of race,” says Tjin-Asjoe. “If this is the case, it must be broken.”
He does not know whether the submission campaign has succeeded. “But it is the start of a sustainable solution,” says the agent. The surrendered weapons are destroyed.
In the coming weeks, the police will investigate whether the firearms have been used in a crime. If this is the case, the person who has handed in the weapon can still be regarded as a suspect.
In addition to the hand-in action, the police have been carrying out preventive searches for a while in the inner city of Zaanstad. Those actions continue.
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