JEDDAH: Seven businessmen are to be selected in the Makkah province on Tuesday to sell firearms for personal use, said Brig. Saleh Al-Ghamdi, spokesman for the Makkah police.
“Seven out of a total 30 applicants will be selected by lots at the Police Directorate offices in Jeddah; another two people will be selected as reserves,” said Al-Ghamdi, adding that having registered firearms dealers will help bring an end to the black-market sale of guns. Makkah is the second province to issue licenses for the sale of firearms following Riyadh where five businessmen were selected earlier this month. Other provinces are to soon follow suit; the amount of licenses issued in a province will tally with the population of each area.
Only those aged over 25 with a bank guarantee of SR500,000 and a valid registered business are eligible to apply for licenses. People with criminal records are barred. License holders are also not allowed to transfer their licenses to third parties without the consent of the Ministry of Interior.
The illegal possession of guns is a crime punishable with 18 months jail and SR6,000. The buying or selling of guns illegally can lead to a two-year jail term and a fine of up to SR7,000. Anyone who carries or uses his gun for purposes other than specified in his license can face jail sentences of up to one year and a SR5,000 fine. A similar punishment will be handed to anyone carrying a hunting gun or ammunition without license.
Lending one’s gun is also a crime. Other punishable offenses include the unlicensed repairing of a gun even if the gun is licensed, repairing of unlicensed guns even if the repairer is licensed, and the manufacturing or smuggling of guns.
