A number of 845 illegal firearms that were in circulation have been removed since the beginning of 2020. These were either damaged or were illegally modified or adjusted for committing offenses, were kept illegally, found without an owner, confiscated or yielded up voluntarily.

In a response for IPN, the National Public Security Inspectorate said the purchase of firearms and munitions without an authorization is classed as illegal keeping of guns. However, the number of cases of voluntary yielding of illegal guns has increased.

The police analyses show that most of the firearms held illegally are brought into the Republic of Moldova and are later sold through advertising sites and in commercial places. In other cases, the arms can be obtained by donation or inheritance.

In Moldova, an authorization for buying lethal and nonlethal guns and a gun permit are issued to persons who are aged 21 and up, who graduated from a firearm handling course organized by an accredited legal entity and who are psychologically and mentally able to keep and use firearms and munitions.

The owners who use the guns to cause an incident or to commit an offense risk having the permit annulled. A new permit can be obtained in five years. The persons who hold a gun permit can purchase guns only through licensed shops, but can also obtain them by donation. There are 11 licensed gun shops in Moldova, with nine of them being situated in the municipality of Chisinau.

A person who does not have a gun permit can buy only nonlethal guns and related ammunitions on the presentation of a medical certificate (narcological and psychiatric conclusion) showing that this is medically able to keep and use guns and munitions.

According to the National Public Security Inspectorate, 71 persons were investigated for illegally bearing, keeping, purchasing, making, repairing or selling guns and munitions during the first eight months of 2021. In the period, 115 persons were penalized for such irregularities. The punishment in the case of nonlethal guns is a fine of 3,000 to 4,500 lei. The penalty for the illegal bearing, keeping, purchasing, making, repairing or selling of guns and munitions is a fine of 32,500 to 47,500 lei, 180 to 240 hours of community service or at most three years in jail. The same crime committed repeatedly or by two or more persons is punished with two to seven years in jail. The persons who voluntarily yield up arms kept without an authorization are freed from criminal liability.