Ecuador: 20% of Legal Weapons Entered Into UTCA Database

According to ElComercio.com Ecuadorian officials of the Criminology Department have a computerized system (UTCA) that archives bullets to identify firearms. A microscopic image of each bullet is placed in the database for identification. However, officials report the database is incomplete. In 2009, Ecuadorian armed forces recorded about 170,000 bullets into the database. Then on June 30, 2009 an accord was issued that prohibited the ownership of guns in Ecuador unless registered with the national police. In two years, under the authority of police UTCA only registered 20% of legal guns. President Rafael Correa announced this past April 28th the withdrawal of the accord giving the control of UTCA to the armed forces. However, officials say that the police did not hand over UTCA to the military before the assigned date of June 17th. Police sources say that they will deliver the computer system no later than the 8th of July.Read Article