Metaldom converts 3,877 firearms into scrap metal in collaboration with the Ministry of the Interior and Police

The initiative was carried out in the presence of the Inter-institutional Commission for the Destruction of Firearms, as a contribution by Metaldom to the country.

Santo Domingo, December 2, 2025. Metaldom, in collaboration with the Ministry of the Interior and Police (MIP), converted 3,945 firearms confiscated by the State into ferrous scrap. Among the destroyed items were 1,580 pistols and revolvers, 233 shotguns, 2 rifles, 691 weapon parts, 200 homemade weapons, and 1,239 weapon magazines.

The Inter-institutional Commission for the Destruction of Firearms, also made up of the Ministry of Defense (MIDE) and the Attorney General's Office (PGR), reaffirmed its commitment to jointly ensure the proper destruction of weapons so that they cannot be reused and, in turn, do not have a negative impact on the environment.

The event took place at the Metaldom facilities, located in the Duarte Industrial Park, where the company has a business unit dedicated exclusively to the collection and processing of ferrous scrap nationwide, recycling more than 80,000 metric tons (MT) annually, with a view to tripling its collection and processing capacity in the short term.

“We are committed to a business model that focuses on the circular economy and environmental preservation. That is why we have joined this initiative, which allows the industry to work together to transform problems into solutions, promoting not only safety but also harmony with our surroundings,” said De La Vega.

The event was led by Minister of the Interior and Police Faride Raful; Metaldom Country Director Fernando De La Vega; Minister of Defense Lieutenant General Carlos Antonio Fernández Onofre; INICIA Vice President of Institutional Relations and Communications Anyarlene Bergés; and National Police Director Major General Ramón Antonio Guzmán Peralta.

"The Ministry of the Interior and Police has committed the Dominican Republic to the Roadmap for Arms Control, both nationally and internationally, to end illicit arms trafficking. Each weapon destroyed represents a life that could have been lost and a crime that we have prevented.

These weapons, which were once used for crime, are now permanently out of circulation, in compliance with Law 631-16 for the Control and Regulation of Weapons, Ammunition, and Related Materials in the Dominican Republic and in contribution to the construction of a safer and more orderly country," said Minister Faride Raful.

In order to strengthen the legitimacy of the weapons destruction process and highlight the importance of this type of initiative for national public safety, members of civil society and productive sectors were also invited, including Laura Peña Izquierdo, president of the Dominican Employers' Confederation, Boris De León, president of the National Association of Young Entrepreneurs (ANJE);