Man carrying deactivated machine gun in Tallinn's old town has weapon confiscated
Over the weekend, an auxiliary police officer spotted a man in Tallinn's old town carrying a deactivated MG3 machine gun and ammunition in public. The weapon was deactivated, but carrying it visibly in a public place is nonetheless illegal.
Man carrying deactivated machine gun in Tallinn's old town has weapon confiscated
On Saturday, 11 July, an auxiliary police officer spotted a man in Tallinn's old town moving about in public with a machine gun. Upon inspection, it turned out to be a genuine MG3 general-purpose machine gun manufactured in Germany, along with ammunition.
Anders Allandi, head of the investigation service of the North Prefecture of the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA), confirmed that according to an initial assessment, both the weapon itself and the cartridges carried with it had been rendered mechanically incapable of firing. The man claimed that the weapon was deactivated and he simply wished to take photographs with it.
However, carrying even a deactivated weapon visibly in a public place is illegal, since neither ordinary citizens nor authorities can determine at first glance that it is not a functioning firearm. This type of weapon does not require a permit, but documentation proving proper deactivation is nevertheless required. The PPA is currently checking whether valid documentation exists.
The weapon's appearance caused concern among the public, and the police confiscated it. It is unclear whether the man will get the weapon and ammunition back, as the PPA typically seeks to destroy items used in committing a crime if they are not being retained as evidence in a proceeding. This decision can be appealed as a first-instance decision.
The PPA reminds the public that if anyone notices something resembling a weapon in an inappropriate location or in the possession of an unauthorised person, they should immediately call the emergency number 112. The MG3 uses 7.62 mm ammunition in accordance with NATO standards.
Source: ERR News