“We have 853 guns that have been removed from homes where those guns were not needed or wanted,” said Camelia Valdes, the Passaic County Prosecutor, while making-known the result of the gun-buy back program that took place during the 3rd and 4th of May.

The authorities spent $112,350 buying back the guns — each gun turned-in received a value of up to $250 depending on the weapon’s condition; the money for the buy back came from criminal forfeiture funds — from both the state and the county — gathered during drug busts and raids.

Some of the most dangerous weapons collected were, “Tec 9 firearms with 32-round magazine capacity; an AK-47 assault rifle,” according to the Attorney General’s Office.

Jeffrey Chiesa, the attorney general of New Jersey, touted the program as a success, and said: “There are 10,000 fewer guns out there to be stolen and used in a street crime,” referring to the total number of guns bought back from various different counties.

The program included a collection of local and state agencies including the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office and the Paterson Police Department.