Monaco police check: seized 'pistols' were airsoft replicas
By Zak Jackson, MonacoViews Editorial
Monaco's prosecutor's office confirmed that two apparent firearms found during a police check on 15 October were in fact airsoft replica weapons.
A photograph circulating on social media this week appeared to show two firearms seized during a police check in Monaco, prompting concern among residents who shared the image widely on Thursday 15 October. The Principality's parquet général moved quickly to clarify the situation, confirming to Monaco-Matin that the objects in question were airsoft replicas rather than genuine weapons.
Airsoft guns, designed to resemble real firearms closely but firing non-lethal plastic pellets, can be difficult to distinguish from actual weapons at a glance, which likely explains the initial alarm. Monaco's police routinely carry out identity and vehicle checks across the Principality, and this incident appears to have stemmed from one such routine stop rather than any ongoing security threat.
For residents, the episode is a reminder of how quickly unverified images can spread locally, particularly in a Principality where public safety is taken seriously and rumours tend to travel fast through close-knit online networks. No further details have been released regarding the individuals involved or any charges relating to the possession of the replica items.