SAO PAULO, July 15 (UPI) -- Brazilian authorities Thursday began compensating citizens for turning in firearms as part of a nationwide effort to curtail killings.
Those who give their guns to Federal Police will get between 100 reals (about $33) and 300 reals (around $100).
The federal government has set aside $10 million for Brazilians as compensation and hopes to get up to 80,000 guns off the streets.
"We don't want to know who is turning them in," said Federal Police official Valdinho Jacinto Caetano. "We'll presume all who do are innocent because we just want to remove the weapons from circulation."
Smaller caliber guns such as a .22 will warrant 100 reals compensation, with larger firearms such as assault rifles being worth 300 reals or more.
The new program is part of Brazil's latest effort to thwart gun violence in a country that's witnessed a sharp spike in gun-related deaths in recent years.
