Police Collect Firearms at New Jersey Gun Buybacks in Newark, Trenton, and Camden
The goal of the buybacks was to cut down on gun violence in New Jersey by specifically covering three sections of New Jersey in the north, central, and south areas. According to Attorney General Christopher Porrino, the firearms collected by law enforcement at the buybacks will be melted down. Porrino further stated that authorities want “communities to be a place where children can play on sidewalks and people can take a walk and not be worried about being caught in crossfire.” Porrino observed that “gun buybacks provide a vital means for taking deadly firearms out of circulation before they can be used to take a life.”
During the buybacks, anyone who turned in a firearm was required to follow New Jersey’s other gun laws, specifically as it related to transportation of guns. Under NJ law, guns must be transported while unloaded and in a secured box or in the trunk. N.J.S.A. 2C:39-6 sets forth that firearms shall be carried unloaded and contained in a closed and fastened case, gun box, securely tied package, or locked in the trunk of the automobile in which the weapons are being transported. Strict adherence is necessary because a violation of the weapons transport laws will subject a person to charges for the unlawful possession of a firearm, which would be a second degree crime for handguns and a third degree crime for rifles and shotguns, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5(b) and (c).
Because violations of New Jersey’s gun laws result in stiff penalties, especially for charges of unlawful possession of a weapon or possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, you should call the Tormey Law Firm if you have any questions about how to legally transport a gun, what the consequences are for weapons crimes in New Jersey, and what can be done if you have been charged with a gun crime in New Jersey.