MOSCOW. Nov 28 (Interfax-AVN) - Russian police are searching for more than 199,000 various weapons stolen across the country, Maj. Gen. Alexei Savin, deputy head of the Russian Interior Ministry's investigation department, told a news conference at the Interfax central office on Tuesday.
"The problem of illicit trade in weapons, explosives and explosive devices is no less urgent today," Savin said. Police are searching for 69,000 rifle-bore weapons, 23,538 automatic weapons, 27, 322 pistols, and 76,399 hunting guns, he said.
"Some expert estimates suggest that citizens illegally own two or three times more firearms," he said.
A total of 75,550 firearms, including 958 rifle-bore weapons, 308 grenades and mines, 123 kilograms of explosives, and more than 73,000 cartridges were confiscated during 56 search operations across Russia in January-October, Savin said,
Up to 29,000 firearms have been turned in, he said.