In a statement, the PSP reports that since 2020, 4,998 rifles have been seized, noting that seizures resulted from compliance with precautionary measures, voluntary surrenders, or arrests for possession of prohibited weapons

In 2025, the PSP conducted 168 special crime-prevention operations: 72 in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area and 26 in the Porto Metropolitan Area.

In these operations, the security force deployed 5,535 police officers, arrested 182 people, and seized 112 weapons, including 23 firearms, 33 bladed weapons, and 56 other weapons.

According to the PSP, over the past six years, the number of weapons seized has increased.

"Not all types of weapons have undergone the same evolutionary trend, but we can observe the case of rifles, whose increase in 2025 compared to the previous year translates to more than tripling the number of seizures recorded,” says the PSP.

In 2024, 684 rifles were seized; in 2025, 2,165.

According to the PSP, these data do not necessarily indicate that more of this type of weapon is circulating.

"They may signify an increase in the number of weapons surrendered by relatives of deceased individuals to whom the respective rifles belonged, as well as an increase in the number of surrenders in PSP awareness campaigns, and also an increase in seizures carried out as a result of proactive police action by the PSP," explains the security force.

As of 31 December 2025, the PSP had registered 1,875,661 firearms, and there were 149,732 valid Firearms Use and Carrying Licenses (LUPA) in Portugal.

According to the PSP, these numbers correspond to the various types of licensing, covering the different classes of weapons contemplated in the legal regime for weapons and ammunition, for both initial grants (19,625) and renewals (130,107) of existing licenses.