Santa Monica police say a pair of routine traffic stops on Monday turned into gun busts, with officers recovering two firearms and booking the drivers on weapons-related charges. At least one of the stops also produced a high-capacity magazine, according to the department.
What Officers Found
According to the Santa Monica Police Department, both stops ended with arrests on two key charges: Penal Code 25850(a), which involves carrying a loaded firearm in a vehicle on a public street, and Penal Code 32310, which covers possession of a high-capacity magazine. Police said the encounters started as standard traffic enforcement, then escalated once officers discovered the weapons. The department wrote that removing illegal or unregistered firearms helps reduce the risk of violence and protects the community.
The Laws Behind The Arrests
Penal Code 25850 makes it illegal to carry a loaded firearm in a public place or in a vehicle on a public street, and penalties can range from a misdemeanor up to felony charges depending on prior convictions and other factors, according to FindLaw. Penal Code 32310 bans possession of large-capacity magazines that hold more than 10 rounds and may be prosecuted as an infraction or a misdemeanor under state law, per Justia.
Traffic Stops Often Turn Up Weapons In Santa Monica
The City of Santa Monica's weekly "Blue Notebook" recaps list multiple recent cases where simple traffic enforcement led officers to loaded firearms and large-capacity magazines. City officials say that pattern helps keep guns off the street. Those summaries describe prior stops in which officers found loaded handguns and high-capacity magazines during vehicle checks, underscoring how everyday patrol work can pull risky items out of public circulation, according to the City of Santa Monica.
How To Report Suspicious Activity
The department is asking anyone with information about unlawful weapons to call its non-emergency line at 310-458-8491 and to dial 9-1-1 in an emergency, the Santa Monica Police Department notes. SMPD says that pulling illegal guns and high-capacity magazines out of vehicles remains a priority in traffic and enforcement operations across the city.
