New Zealanders hand in 56,000 guns during amnesty

During a six-month amnesty, police say, BBC sources, more than 56,000 weapons were turned over to officials in New Zealand.

The buy-back program was initiated in reaction to the shooting of 51 Muslims at two mosques in Christchurch when the government confiscated semi-automatic weapons.

Parliament settled on the ban soon after the massacres of March 15-the worst in New Zealand's modern times.

Australian Brenton Tarrant has been arrested and stands court next year, a self-proclaimed white supremacist.

Owners were paid for up to 95 percent of the initial weapon price in exchange for turning in the weapons.

The program ended with the police hailing the amnesty as a victory on 20 December.