Nigeria
Armed Groups Fight with Home Made Guns, AK-47s in Nigeria Gang War
Daily Independent (Lagos)
2 March 2010
ENUGU/ABAKALIKI, Nigeria -- Residents are now counting their losses after the ceasefire that followed Ezza/Ezzilo communal clash in Ebonyi State, while security forces have started recovering arms. Though, the number of casualties and quantum of material losses are still not clear, the police command admits that much had been lost. The hostilities ceased shortly after Governor Martin Elechi in the company of the Police... ( gunpolicy.org )
Nigeria
Police Stop Car, Seize 16 Locally Made Guns, Arrest Driver in Nigeria
Leadership (Abuja)
20 February 2010
LAFIA, Nigeria -- The Nasarawa State Police command on Thursday intercepted, 16 local made rifles along Akwanga/Jos road en route from Cross River State to Jos, the Plateau State capital. Briefing newsmen in Lafia, the state police commissioner, CP Ephraim Amakulor, said that the rifles were stuffed in the door and boot mat in a Toyota Saloon car intercepted along Akwanga roundabout during the police stop and search operation. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Slew of Pro-firearm Bills as Legislators Move to Relax Virginia Gun Laws
Richmond Times-Dispatch (Virginia)
16 February 2010
The Republican-dominated House of Delegates advanced a slew of Second Amendment-related bills yesterday. They ranged from a bill that would repeal the one-gun-a-month limit on handgun purchases, to shielding applicants for concealed-weapon permits, to protecting some Virginia-made guns and ammunition from potential federal regulation. In all, about a dozen gun bills cleared a preliminary hurdle in the House yesterday and... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
California Man 'Obsessed with Guns' Stole 6 Assault Weapons from Police
San Francisco Chronicle
10 February 2010
SAN PABLO, California - A San Pablo man described as being obsessed with "tools of warfare" was sentenced Tuesday to more than five years in federal prison for stealing assault rifles and shotguns belonging to the Contra Costa County sheriff's office and the California Highway Patrol. Daniel William Vess, 21, pleaded guilty Tuesday to possession of a stolen firearm. At a hearing in Oakland, U.S. District Judge Saundra Brown Armstrong... ( gunpolicy.org )
Cuba
Cuba Declares Gun Amnesty, Gives Owners 2 Months to Register Firearms
Associated Press
1 February 2010
HAVANA, Cuba - Cuba has declared a two-month amnesty for citizens to register unlicensed guns, and says those passing aptitude and psychological tests will be allowed to keep their weapons. The move is unusual in a state where almost no one except some active military personnel and plain-clothed state security agents are allowed to possess weapons. Even most police officers are required to leave their pistols at the station... ( gunpolicy.org )
Taiwan
Illegal Weapon Factory, 'Remodeled' Handguns Found in Taiwan Village
China Post (Taiwan)
27 January 2010
CHIAYI, Taiwan -- Chiayi Police yesterday crossed municipal lines to arrest a man who allegedly ran an underground weapons factory behind the facade of a registered green business in Chiayi County, local media reported. Kuo Wen-tsan was also suspected of illegal arms sale, given the sophisticated construction of six remodeled handguns found on scene, police were quoted as saying. But Kuo was cited as telling authorities that he... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Gun Industry Lobbies to Popularise, Sell More 'Sporting' Assault Rifles
ESPN (USA)
20 January 2010
LAS VEGAS -- If Jim Zumbo had the National Shooting Sports Foundation in his corner a few years ago, he might still be the hunting editor of Outdoor Life magazine. Zumbo was literally driven from the temple after expressing discouraging words in his web site blog about the viability of so-called "black rifles" or AR-15-style guns as hunting firearms. Unfortunately, Zumbo expressed his opinions just at the time black rifles were... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
British Extremist, Gun Enthusiast Jailed 11yrs for Making Illegal Weapons
Press Association (UK)
15 January 2010
A BNP member who spent a decade building up a cache of weapons in a bedroom hideaway was jailed for 11 years today. Bus driver Terrance Gavan manufactured highly dangerous firearms and explosives at the home where he lived with his mother in Batley, West Yorkshire. Police discovered 54 improvised bombs including nail bombs and a booby-trapped cigarette packet, as well as 12 firearms. The former soldier told detectives... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Hostile BNP Member Gets 11 Years for Illegal Weapon Cache and Craft
Guardian (UK)
15 January 2010
A BNP member who spent a decade building up a cache of weapons in a bedroom hideaway was jailed for 11 years today. Bus driver Terrance Gavan manufactured highly dangerous firearms and explosives at the home where he lived with his mother in Batley, West Yorkshire. Police discovered 54 improvised bombs including nail bombs and a booby-trapped cigarette packet, as well as 12 firearms. The former soldier told detectives... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
'Obsessed' Gun Owner Found with 30 Illegal Firearms, Bombs in Yorkshire
Yorkshire Post (UK)
15 January 2010
A home-made collection of bombs, guns and knives, this is the arsenal found hidden at the Yorkshire home of a bus driver who was a member of the British National Party. [Photo] Locked away in an untidy attic bedroom, the cache, assembled over 10 years by former soldier Terry Gavan, was so large it took police and counter-terrorism experts six days to complete a forensic survey of the house. Gavan was jailed for 11 years... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
No Right to Bear Unlicensed Machine Guns, Says US Federal Court
Christian Science Monitor
30 December 2009
A former commander in the Tennessee State Guard has lost an appeal to overturn his conviction for trying to provide his soldiers with homemade machine guns for possible use in defending the state. On Wednesday, a federal appeals court in Cincinnati threw the case out of court. "Whatever the individual right to keep and bear arms might entail, it does not authorize an unlicensed individual to possess unregistered machine... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Assault Rifle Maker Applauds Bill, Utahns 'Entitled to Any Gun They Want'
Salt Lake Tribune (Utah)
19 December 2009
Alex Robinson wants his assault rifles on foreign battlefields and Utah gun racks alike, so a proposed Firearms Freedom Act exempting local-only sales from federal regulation isn't a game changer at his Salt Lake City machine shop. Then again, Utah is gun country. Armed self-defense true believers see life and death in every constitutional affront. Many applaud a message bill that would preclude federal regulation of any guns made,... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Alaska Gun Owner Amassed Arsenal, Planned 'Something,' Now Faces Life
Anchorage Daily News (Alaska)
18 December 2009
A convicted Mat-Su felon who amassed an arsenal of assault rifles, grenades, flak jackets and weapon silencers has been indicted on a federal charge of being a felon in possession of firearms, according to the U.S. attorney. Gregory Dale Hayes, 53, is facing life in prison on the charge, which is the result of a yearlong investigation by federal authorities that included surveillance of Hayes' home at 6670 W. Hemmer Drive in Wasilla.... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Nebraska Man Gets 8mths for Firing Illegal, Home-made Machine Guns
Associated Press
16 December 2009
LINCOLN, Nebraska - Officials say a 24-year-old Nebraska man who was found with two unregistered, homemade machine guns has been sentenced to 8½ months in prison. According to a U.S. Attorney's Office press release, prosecutors said a Nebraska State Patrol trooper pulled Aaron Lawless over for speeding in November last year and discovered the two weapons during an inspection of his car. It says Lawless was sentenced last week at... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Mayor Orders Tighter Gun Control, Seizure of Weapons in Quezon City
Philippine Daily Inquirer
11 December 2009
Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. has ordered law enforcers to zero in on loose firearms in three villages where a large number of homicide cases have been reported in the past month. Belmonte directed the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) to round up illegal and home-made guns, called "paltik" or "sumpak," to help curb the increasing number of shooting incidents. To be covered by the crackdown are Batasan Hills... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
Sydney Men Charged with Alleged Manufacture of Submachine Guns
Australian Associated Press
11 December 2009
Two men, including a bikie, have been charged over the manufacture of illegal firearms after police seized rifles, knuckle dusters and firearm parts in Sydney. Officers raided a home in Charles Street, Blacktown, about 4.30pm yesterday, police said. Police allege illegal submachine guns, lightweight automatics or semi-automatic weapons were being made at the home. A 43-year-old man was arrested and police seized... ( gunpolicy.org )
India
4 Illegal 'Gun Factories' Raided, 6 Alleged Gun Runners Charged in Bihar
Press Trust of India / PTI
10 December 2009
MUNGER -- Four mini gun factories were today unearthed and six persons involved in manufacturing illegal firearms and supplying them to naxalite outfits in Jharkhand arrested here, police said. Superintendent of police M Sunil Naiak told reporters that the police today arrested two arms smugglers, Chetlal and Kundan, for supplying firearms to naxalites in Jharkhand. The SP said Chetlal and Kundan were hardcore naxalites... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Army Destroys Seized, Home-made Guns in Philippine Ceremony
Iloilo News (Philippines)
7 December 2009
A total of fifty firearms were destroyed following a ceremonial cutting and destruction of guns at the 6th Service Support Unit (FSSU) of the Philippine Army's Support Command in Camp Delgado, Iloilo City Friday afternoon. The rites formed part of the demilitarization under the Philippine Army's Captured, Confiscated, Recovered and Surrendered Firearms (CCRS) program. The fifty assorted firearms, mostly high-powered "paltik,"... ( gunpolicy.org )
India
Home-made Pistols Seized, Gun Dealers Charged in Surendranagar
Times of India
21 November 2009
LIMBDI, Surendranagar -- Two arms dealers were arrested from Chotila highway on Friday for smuggling firearms from Madhya Pradesh. Four pistols and 56 live cartridges were recovered from them. According to police, accused Premkumar Besadiya alias Maharaj, native of Lahar Mihona in MP, and his local associate Raghu Bharwad, resident of Jamvali village in Sayala taluka in Surendranagar district, were arrested following a tip-off about... ( gunpolicy.org )
India
Gun Culture, Illegal Firearm Industry Booming in Trigger-happy Delhi
Times Of India / TNN
8 November 2009
NEW DELHI -- Just the other day, Himanshu Sharma had an argument with a petrol pump manager and was shot at by the guard. On September 29, two Delhi residents were shot at in Faridabad when they had gone to a restaurant for dinner and had an altercation over parking. There is suddenly an alarming rise in the use of fire-arms in the city. Guns are being pulled out on the slightest provocation -- as TOI reported recently, a young man whipped... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Politicians Said Trafficking in Illegal Guns, Bangladeshi Woman Arrested
New Nation (Dhaka), Editorial
8 November 2009
The president of the female wing of the Kushtia District Awami League was arrested along with some others by the police the other day with firearms including one AK-47 rifle. There have been noted some other arrests of females on charges of possession of unauthorised arms. The seizure of unauthorised arms is nothing very surprising. For the last two decades, the numbers of unauthorised arms being either produced in local clandestine... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Former UK Army Sergeant Made Guns for Gangs, Jailed 'Indefinitely'
Telegraph (UK)
7 November 2009
A former Army sergeant, Paul Alexander, who made guns for gangs operating in Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham, has been jailed indefinitely. Detectives said Alexander, 53, was a "significant" supplier and had been tracked down following the launch of an operation against gangs in the wake of the shooting of 11-year-old Rhys Jones in Liverpool two years ago. Police said they found a gun factory at a house Alexander rented... ( gunpolicy.org )
India
Arrested Indian Gun Runners Admit to Selling Home-made Firearms
Times of India / Sandesh
5 November 2009
JAMNAGAR -- Three accused arrested in arms dealing racket sold as many as nine firearms in the past one-and-half-year, said police on Wednesday. Of the trio, Munna Sursinh and Indrasinh Mahida were sent to five-day remand, while Ajay Versinh was sent to judicial custody after being produced before a court here. According to police, the accused used to buy firearms, mainly country-made revolvers, at Rs 5,000 per piece from Jagat... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ghana
Gun Registries to Be Installed Nationwide by Ghana Police
Daily Graphic (Ghana)
4 November 2009
The Ghana Police Service has been directed to instal arms registries across the country as part of measures by the government to properly control weapons. Additionally, the government is also taking steps to ensure a good stockpile management, as well as branding and tracing of official weapons, to deal with the impunity with which small arms are being used for violent crimes and conflicts in the country. The President,... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
California 'Gun Collector' Gets Prison Term for Illegal Machine Gun Sales
Contra Costa Times (California)
30 October 2009
A federal judge sentenced a 69-year-old Crescent City man this week to serve 18 months in prison for illegally dealing machine guns. According to a press release from the United States Attorney's San Francisco office, Donald E. Nuss pleaded guilty in June to illegally dealing in firearms, admitting selling five machine guns over a one-year period. According to the release, Nuss also admitted to converting two semi-automatic rifles... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Child Pornographer Allegedly Making Illegal .50cal Rifles, Machine Guns
Nevada Appeal
28 October 2009
CARSON CITY, Nevada -- Machinery suspected in the illegal manufacture of weapons was removed by investigators Tuesday from the shop of a man also charged with possession of child pornography. Detective Craig Lowe said a search warrant, filed last week in Carson City Justice Court, allowed for the seizure of about $12,000 in equipment that investigators suspect Glenn Ware used to manufacture two fully automatic .50 caliber rifles... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ghana
Homemade Gun Sales Flourish As Ghanaian Blacksmiths Meet Demand
IRIN (UN News)
23 October 2009
ACCRA -- Blacksmith Sarpong, 35, operates a small shop in Ghana's second largest city, Kumasi. He is trained to produce cooking utensils, but prefers to make guns as he can earn more money that way. When sales are good his shop brings in US$1,000 a week, he said. Foreigners paying better than Ghanaians. "Most of my buyers are from Nigeria or Sierra Leone." "I can make an AK for you if you have the money," he told IRIN.... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Tougher Gun Sentence Upheld, 'Assassins' Armourer' Jailed 11yrs in UK
BBC News
7 October 2009
A top judge has backed "punitive" sentences for gun trade criminals, saying they should suffer punishments similar to those using weapons. Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge said "deterrent" terms were essential to help protect the public. He added that the gravity of gun crime meant that indeterminate jail terms were appropriate. His comments mean that people involved in the supply or conversion of firearms should... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ghana
Blacksmiths Urge Ghana to Legalise Gun Making, Control Bush Industry
Ghana Broadcasting Corporation / Daily Graphic
26 September 2009
A call has been made to the government to legalise the manufacture of small arms in the country and bring them under state control as a way of averting their illicit acquisition by criminals. Reacting to the current resolve of the police to take the war against armed robbery to blacksmiths who manufacture arms locally, a leader of the blacksmiths association in the Ashanti Region and a researcher into small arms suggested as an... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
DNA Found on Crime Guns Links More Killings to UK Weapon Maker
Birmingham Mail (UK)
26 September 2009
The fatal shooting of a student gunned down in a Birmingham street earlier this year has been linked to a firearms mastermind who armed UK street gangs. "Merchant of death" Paul Alexander illegally converted replica weapons into lethal guns and supplied the "assassination kits" to gangs in the north east for as little as £1,500-a-time. Two of the ex-soldier's weapons were involved in a vicious feud between gangs in Liverpool... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Machine Guns, AK-47s in 'Arsenal' Seized from Santa Barbara Homes
Daily Sound (California)
22 September 2009
Authorities over the weekend busted one of the largest illegal weapons rings in city of Santa Barbara history, seizing 13 guns, including eight fully automatic AK-47 assault rifles that officials say are used for one purpose: to kill. The raid, known as "Operation Apehanger," unfolded at 8 a.m. Saturday when more than 100 officers from federal, state and local agencies simultaneously stormed seven homes in the city, making 12 arrests.... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Former Soldier, 'Dealer in Death' Made Guns for Use in British Crimes
BBC News
21 September 2009
A former soldier -- described in court as a "dealer in death" -- has been told he faces a lengthy prison sentence for turning imitation guns into real ones. Paul Alexander, 53, was due to be sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court after admitting firearms offences. But sentencing was adjourned to allow a background report to be prepared. The court was told Alexander had operated a "gun factory" in Bardfield Saling,... ( gunpolicy.org )
India
Traffickers Arrested Selling Handguns Made Illegally in Uttar Pradesh
Hindu (India)
13 September 2009
BANGALORE -- The Central Crime Branch (CCB) police busted an inter-State arms and ammunition supplying racket with the arrest of three men here. The police seized four country-made revolvers, one pistol, 32 rounds of live ammunition and Rs. 8 lakh in cash from the accused. The names of the accused have been given as Mohammad Siraj of Jharkhand, Hussain Saab of Chitradurga and Nawab Barkathullah of Bihar. Addressing... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Gunmaker to Liverpool Underworld, Torch Gun Maker Jailed for 20 Years
Times (UK)
12 September 2009
A judge called a gunmaker who crafted weapons for Merseyside's gangsters as a "dealer in death" as he jailed him at Liverpool Crown Court for 20 years. David Hampson, 44, who could transform a replica firearm into a handgun in 20 minutes, was caught in a 12-month police undercover operation. His speciality was converting miniature torches into single-shot weapons. Senior officers in Merseyside Police were jubilant at the severity... ( gunpolicy.org )
India
Illegal Gun Manufacturing, Arms Trafficking Prompts Debate in Bangalore
Deccan Herald
27 August 2009
BANGALORE -- The State administration has identified five districts where arms are not only manufactured illegally but constitute nodal points in a thriving and expanding inter-state trade in illicit weapons and ammunition -- issues that have larger internal security implications. The five districts are Hubli-Dharwad, Belgaum, Mangalore, Bellary and Kodagu. Top police sources said that the decision to identify the districts followed... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
Machine Guns, 100 Illegal Firearms Taken from Australian Gun Traffickers
Sydney Morning Herald / AAP
27 August 2009
Police raids and an undercover operation have netted more than 100 illegal firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition in a crackdown on an alleged Wollongong-based gun trafficking network. Three men -- Michael Zarakas of Fairy Meadow, Aristos Dionys of Mangerton and Andrew Kafizas of Wollongong -- face a total of 110 firearm trafficking charges between them. The trio appeared before Magistrate Paul Johnson at Wollongong... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
Police Sting Cracks Alleged Australian Gun Trafficking Ring
Illawarra Mercury (New South Wales)
27 August 2009
Wollongong detectives posing as weapons buyers spent tens of thousands of dollars on machine guns and pistols to take down a group of alleged firearms traffickers operating in the Illawarra. The five-month investigation, known as Strike Force Bowl, featured six lead detectives from the Wollongong command and culminated in the arrests yesterday of three men, two from Fairy Meadow, aged 39 and 59, and a 55-year-old man from Cringila.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
Machine Guns, Handguns Seized in Wollongong Weapons Cache
NSW Police Force, Media release
26 August 2009
Police in Wollongong have arrested three men over the sale and possession of illegal firearms, including a World War Two machine gun. Strike Force Bowl was formed in April to investigate the supply of illegal weapons within the Wollongong Local Area Command. Investigations over several weeks led detectives to seize a cache of 12 firearms, including: - A World War II Bren Light Machine Gun - A home-made machine... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Gun Group Pushes Court to Exempt Montana Firearms from Federal Law
Helena Independent Record (Montana)
25 August 2009
A prominent Montana gun-rights group has partnered with a national organization to test federal authority over a new class of firearms: guns manufactured and used solely in the state of Montana. The Montana Shooting Sports Association, headquartered in Missoula, and the Second Amendment Foundation, of Bellevue, Wash., announced Friday they intend to file a federal lawsuit Oct. 1 to prevent federal gun control laws from being enforced... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ghana
Minister Pleads with Ghana Blacksmiths to Make Nuts & Bolts, Not Guns
Ghana News Agency
22 August 2009
KUMASI -- Dr. Kwasi Apea-Kubi, Deputy Minister of the Interior, has expressed concern about the production of illegal firearms by some blacksmiths and said this was fuelling armed robberies, communal conflicts, and chieftaincy disputes. He has, therefore, warned offenders to stop the activity and rather concentrate on making positive contributions towards the socio-economic development of Ghana. Dr Apea-Kubi was addressing members... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Police Offer Reward for Tip-offs Leading to Illegal Guns in Philippines
Daily Tribune (Manila)
21 August 2009
The Philippine National Police (PNP) will establish a rewards program for persons who can pinpoint the existence of loose firearms after the end of the gun amnesty period on Oct. 31, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Ronaldo Puno said yesterday. Puno said once these loose or unlicensed guns are confiscated, the PNP might opt to donate them to the local police station in the barangay or town where these... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Philippine Police Move to Recover 1.1 Million Illegal, Unlicensed Guns
Agence France Presse
19 August 2009
MANILA -- Philippine police on Tuesday warned political warlords to turn in unlicensed firearms ahead of the May 2010 presidential vote to prevent bloodshed among rival candidates. National police chief Director General Jesus Versoza said there were an estimated 1.11 million unlicensed guns in the hands of civilians, private armies and Muslim and communist insurgents. This is on top of the estimated 1.8 million firearms... ( gunpolicy.org )
China
China Seizes 19,000 Guns, 39,000 Imitation Guns in 'Stability Drive'
Xinhua
20 July 2009
BEIJING -- Chinese police have confiscated 19,000 guns and close to 500 tonnes of explosives in a crackdown on explosive and gun-related crimes in the last four months, the Ministry of Public Security announced here Monday. More than 5,200 people in connection with illegal production and sales of explosives and gun-related crimes were arrested during the campaign, which started in March and ends on Oct. 31, the ministry said on... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ghana
UN Report Cites Ghana as Major Illegal Gun Maker, Weapon Exporter
Joy Online (Ghana)
8 July 2009
A security analyst at the Kofi Annan Peace Keeping Training Centre, Dr Kwesi Aning says the proliferation of small arms in the country have been necessitated by a mix of poverty, youth unemployment and political manipulations. He also believes the police and other security agencies have been ineffective in clamping down on the illegal acquisition of weapons. Dr Aning was responding to a United Nations report on drugs and... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom, Scotland
Newspaper Claims to Ensnare 'Scotland's Top Gangland Gun Dealer'
Sunday Mail (Scotland)
5 July 2009
An ex-squaddie is Scotland's number one arms dealer fuelling a rising tide of gun violence on the street. The former soldier yesterday admitted acting as an armourer to crime families across the country. The 46-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, made his admission after being caught on video offering to sell guns to an undercover Sunday Mail reporter following a six-month investigation. He also said... ( gunpolicy.org )
India
Home-made Revolvers Seized, Indian Police Atrocity Protesters Blamed
Indian Express / Express News Service (Calcutta)
15 June 2009
KOLKATA -- Five people were arrested from Howrah on Sunday for allegedly trying to sneak in arms to Lalgarh. Jiten Mandal and Amit Mandal, residents of Murshidabad, were picked up by the CID along with their three Lalgarh residents, from Bombay Road. Five revolvers were also recovered from them. Sources said that the Mandal brothers were going to Lalgarh for supplying arms to the members of the People's Committee against... ( gunpolicy.org )
India
Mass Closure of Gun Makers, Arms Trade 'On Deathbed' in Kashmir
Daily Rising Kashmir (Srinagar)
14 June 2009
Shafat Ahmad Zaroo of Zaroo Gun Factory, one of the two existing gun manufacturing units operating in Kashmir in conversation with Rising Kashmir staffer Abdul Mohamin. Q.You are one of the pioneers in gun manufacturing in Kashmir. Can you throw some light on this business? A.The valley has a rich tradition of manufacturing guns, which dates back to many centuries and with the onset of Muslim rule here, it received further... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ghana
Police Chief Orders His Officers to Return Stolen Guns, Offers Amnesty
Daily Guide (Accra)
14 June 2009
The Director-General of Police Operations, DCOP John Kudalor, has given personnel of the police service a one-week ultimatum to return guns which might be in their possession illegally to avoid punitive measures. The Director-General who was addressing journalists at the National Police Headquarters, Accra on Thursday said those who failed to comply with the directive would be severely punished while obedient personnel would have... ( gunpolicy.org )
Sierra Leone
Gun Smuggling, Home-made Firearms Worry Sierra Leone Police, NGOs
Awoko (Freetown)
28 May 2009
The Assistant Inspector General of Police Eastern Region Al-Shek Kamara has disclosed that the rate at which light weapon and small arms are entering through the porous borders of the country is very alarming. He also stated that most of these weapons are found within the Gola Forest chiefdoms in the region. The AIG east made this disclosure while addressing Traditional rulers, civil society and other stakeholders in the eastern... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
40 Guns, Assault Rifles Taken from US 'Neo-Nazi' Making Machine Guns
New Jersey Star-Ledger
27 May 2009
Prosecutors said a Parsippany man who was charged last week with possessing an arsenal of firearms in his home allegedly manufactured and converted guns into illegal automatic weapons at his home and sold them. Adam Coughlan, 29, who was arrested Thursday in a raid of his Lake Hiawatha home by authorities, also is a flight risk because he may have ties to the "neo-Nazi" underground, Morris County Assistant Prosecutor Bradford Seabury... ( gunpolicy.org )
Pakistan
How Pakistan's Notorious Illegal Gun Industry Runs Arms to Karachi
News (Karachi)
13 May 2009
KARACHI -- Pakistani society is plagued by the phenomenon of easy access to arms, and this is one of the reasons why society has become victim to terrorism and conflict. It has been learnt that there are places in the country where different groups are assembling arms imported from various countries. These groups also have the expertise to manufacture the deadly weapons by themselves. Investigations pointed towards Dara Adam Khel... ( gunpolicy.org )
India
Indian Election Doubles Price of Home-Made Handguns, Ammunition
Telegraph (Calcutta)
24 April 2009
RAIGANJ -- An arms selling racket is active in North Dinajpur, thanks to political parties which want to be well-equipped before the elections and are acquiring weapons through criminals who are on their payroll. Promises made and at the end of a lot of coaxing, a linkman of the arms dealers agreed to reveal to The Telegraph how the network functioned. What followed was a journey on Tuesday morning to an undisclosed location. It... ( gunpolicy.org )
Nigeria
Gun Runner Confesses, Names Local Nigerian Police as Main Source
Daily Trust (Abuja)
21 April 2009
An 83-year-old gunrunner, Bala Joji, has submitted himself to crime buster, Ali Kwara as he got wind that Kwara had perfected plans of arresting him in connection with some weapons he sold to criminals. Arraigning the octogenarian before newsmen in Kano yesterday, Kwara revealed that it was the second time Malam Joji entered his net, saying he was later discharged the first time he arrested and handed him over to the police. The... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Lawmakers Vote 32-7 to Exempt Alaska from US Federal Gun Law
Associated Press
16 April 2009
JUNEAU, Alaska -- The state House has approved a bill exempting guns and ammunition manufactured and kept within Alaska from federal firearms regulation, a measure critics immediately said was unconstitutional. The House Thursday voted 32-7 in favor of the Alaska Firearms Freedom Act sponsored by Fairbanks Republican Mike Kelly and 10 co-sponsors. Kelly says the measure will let Alaska opt out of federal regulation, including... ( gunpolicy.org )
Pakistan
Pakistan Lands Gun Show Export Orders for 5,000 Hunting Guns, Pistols
Peninsula (Qatar) / InterNews
13 April 2009
PESHAWAR -- After successfully displaying arms during an international exhibition, the Pakistan Hunting and Sporting Arms Development Company has secured major export orders worth over Rs50m. Company Nauman Wazir said yesterday they had received orders from 11 international companies for around 5,000 guns and pistols. The development came after the company displayed arms at international exhibition IWA held in Germany in March.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kazakhstan
Inspection of Licensed Kazakh Gun Owners Yields 747 Illegal Weapons
BBC Worldwide Monitoring / Interfax (Kazakhstan)
7 April 2009
During the Karu (Weapon) operation, the police seized 747 weapons kept illegally by people in Kazakhstan, the Kazakh Interior Ministry's press service has said. In particular, the police seized 49 rifled weapons, including 39 rifles and 4 pistols, as well as 547 smooth-bore weapons, including 98 "sawn-off shotguns", says a report issued by the press service today. A total of 40 gas-spray guns, 60 traumatic weapons, 23 home-made... ( gunpolicy.org )
India
Home-made Guns, Illegal Factories Proliferate as Indian Elections Near
Times of India / TNN
1 April 2009
ALLAHABAD -- The Bundelkhand region, ever notorious for gun-toting dacoits, is beginning to grab headlines again as elections draw near. The badland, Blocked Ad besides being a safe haven for criminals, is a major supplier of weapons, especially during polls. In a state like Uttar Pradesh where political candidates are known for their muscle power, Bundelkhand is an ideal nursery of weaponry. Since the announcement of the Lok... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ghana
Weapon Demand Ignored, Gun Buyback on Road to Failure in Ghana
Daily Graphic (Ghana)
25 March 2009
A security analyst, Mr Emmanuel Sowatey, has described the weapons buy-back move by the Northern Regional Security Council (REGSEC) as wrong and out of place. He said the initiative of the REGSEC, although laudable, should have addressed the causes of the demand-supply chain of the weapons, adding that weapons buy-back scheme had always been part of a major peace process and was never taken in isolation. Mr Sowatey told... ( gunpolicy.org )
China
Public Security: China Begins Gun Crackdown to Ensure Social Stability
Xinhua
24 March 2009
China has launched a crackdown on gun crimes to ensure social stability, the Ministry of Public Security said Tuesday in an online statement. The campaign, which started March 20 and will end Oct. 31, includes confiscating illegal weapons, preventing gun crimes and supervising the use of guns. The ministry urged public security departments to confiscate illegally traded guns "and seize groups or individuals illegally making... ( gunpolicy.org )
Sri Lanka
High Rates of Illicit Gun Ownership, Gun Homicide Found in Sri Lanka
Daily News (Columbo)
15 March 2009
There is a widespread illegal possession of home made guns Galkatas, muzzle loading guns and shot guns in Hambantota district, says a book with 60 pages released by the National Commission Against Proliferation of Illicit Small Arms Sri Lanka titled "Illegal small arms and light weapons pilot survey Hambantota." It further says that there are small but growing numbers of T56s in the hands of criminals, apparently concentrated in... ( gunpolicy.org )
Pakistan
Arms Trade in Karachi Traced to Craft Gun Industry in Dara Adam Khel
International News (Karachi)
13 March 2009
KARACHI -- Pakistani society is plagued by the phenomenon of easy access to arms, and this is one of the reasons why society has become victim to terrorism and conflict. It has been learnt that there are places in the country where different groups are assembling arms imported from various countries. These groups also have the expertise to manufacture the deadly weapons by themselves. Investigations pointed towards Dara Adam Khel... ( gunpolicy.org )
India
Hyderabad Police Arrest Alleged Gang of Home-made Gun Traffickers
Times of India / TNN
12 March 2009
HYDERABAD -- In a major pre-election drive, the city police on Wednesday nabbed a 12-member inter-state gang supplying illegal arms and seized 13 weapons and 42 live rounds of ammunition from their possession. Acting on the leads given by a person arrested earlier, the central zone team of the Task Force arrested P Rajasekhar Reddy, 22, Atmakur, Sarvesh, 18, Rahul Kumar , 19, Sanjay Bhardwaj, 22, Mohammed Zaffar, 22, Jahangir Khan,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Pakistan
Pakistan Tries to Sell Locally Made Craft Guns at German Trade Show
News (Karachi)
12 March 2009
PESHAWAR -- Pakistan Hunting and Sporting Arms Development Company (PHSADC) has finalised all arrangements for the display of locally manufactured small arms at an international exhibition (IWA) in Germany from March 13 to 16. According to a press release issued here on Wednesday, Chairman PHSADC Nauman Wazir said they had planned to avail the opportunity of exhibiting locally manufactured hunting and sporting arms at the exhibition.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Nigeria
Octogenarian, 'Bona Fide' Gunsmith Arrested for Making Guns in Nigeria
Leadership (Abuja)
4 March 2009
GUSAU -- The Zamfara State police command has announced the arrest of an 85-year old man alleged to be a local gun manufacturer, Baushe Makeri of kotorkoshi village in Bungudu local government area of the state. While parading the suspect with 11 locally made guns in his possession, along with nine other armed robbery suspects, the state commissioner of police, Alhaji Mohammed J. Abubakar, said the old man was arrested for supplying... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
South Australians Surrender More Than 1100 Guns During Amnesty
Advertiser (Adelaide)
4 March 2009
More than 1100 firearms, including several illegal guns, have been handed into police as part of a three-month amnesty. The 1144 weapons included handguns, pump action rifles, high capacity magazines and self-loading shot guns. Some of the weapons were handmade and some were more than 100 years old. Premier Mike Rann said he was surprised at the number of guns handed in considering more than 1400 guns were passed... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ghana
Blacksmith Group Worries Some Members Making Illegal Guns in Ghana
Ghana News Agency
27 February 2009
The Brong-Ahafo Region Blacksmiths Association has expressed concern about the proliferation of small arms in the country and appealed to the Ministry of Interior to withdraw licenses given to blacksmiths to repair guns. Mr. John Addy, chairman of the association, told a news conference on Thursday that even though "blacksmiths are not allowed by law to manufacture guns and other small arms they can take license to repair them."... ( gunpolicy.org )
Pakistan
Illegal but Tolerated Gun Market Thrives Around Pakistan's Swat Valley
NDTV News (India)
17 February 2009
SWAT -- The latest deal struck by the Pakistan government with local hard line Islamist leaders in Swat on Tuesday may bring a temporary truce to the area but with a combination of a thriving arms market and lawless society, peace may just be a pause in the long history of violence in north western Pakistan. The strategic Khyber Pass, gateway to Afghanistan from Pakistan's tribal areas, has been used for centuries by armies and... ( gunpolicy.org )
India
Illegal Gun Factory Raided, Owner Arrested in Jammu & Kashmir
Hindu (India) / PTI
12 February 2009
JAMMU -- Police on Thursday busted an illegal gun manufacturing unit and arrested the owner after recovery of weapons and material in Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir, sources said here. Acting on a tip-off of Jai Kumar, police raided the illegal gun manufacturing unit in Nagulta in Chenani Tehsil of Udhampur district, they said. On Wednesday, police had recovered a local made pistol and two rounds of bullet from... ( gunpolicy.org )
Pakistan
Pakistan's Gun Industry Aims to Legitimise, Export Home Made Guns
News (Karachi)
12 February 2009
PESHAWAR -- Pakistan Hunting and Sporting Development Company (PHSADC) has planned a number of activities to harness the national potential in the field of hunting and sporting arms by improving the skill of artisans associated with the profession. The company has planned holding consultations with stakeholders in different cities of the country with the objective of taking them on board and apprising them about the modern technique... ( gunpolicy.org )
Congo (DRC)
Rebel Attacks Fuel Illegal Gun, Ammunition Factories in Eastern Congo
San Francisco Chronicle
12 February 2009
BANGADI, Congo -- The weapons on display are all homemade: menacing-looking hunting knives, lances made of sticks topped with metal spears, long-barrelled shotguns. For decades, people in this Congolese town have made guns. But the industry has become a roaring business as people in this remote northeastern region arm themselves against the fearsome rebels of the Lord's Resistance Army. In this town overrun by refugees... ( gunpolicy.org )
China
China Mobile Phone Death Now Blamed on Homemade Cellphone Gun
Information Week (USA)
10 February 2009
Huang Heping, the Chinese man reported to have been killed Jan. 30 when his cell phone exploded, now appears to have been done in by a gun of his own making. Initial police reports, as conveyed by the Chinese press, attributed the man's death to severe arterial bleeding following the explosion of his mobile phone in an electronics store. But last week, Richard Spencer, reporting from Beijing for The Telegraph, said police... ( gunpolicy.org )
Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia
Illegal Serbian/Bosnian Gun Factory Making Knock-off Zastava Pistols
BBC Worldwide Monitoring / Glas Srpske, Transcript
10 February 2009
Members of the department for investigations and security in the Serb Republic Special Prosecutor's Office have discovered an illegal factory for the production of arms in the Serb Republic and they arrested five people for the illegal production and arms smuggling. Glas Srpske has learned that the factory was discovered on the Majevica Mountain. Chief Special Prosecutor Miodrag Bajic said that people who were arrested on Wednesday... ( gunpolicy.org )
Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina
Serbian Police Say Illegal Handgun Factory Was Making Quality Pistols
BBC Worldwide Monitoring / BH1 Radio, Transcript
5 February 2009
Serb Republic police and members of this entity's Special Prosecutor's Office have smashed a network of smugglers of explosives and arms. Five persons were arrested, the Serb Republic's Special Prosecutor's Office confirmed today. In cooperation with the Serb Republic and Tuzla Canton police, members of the Investigation and Security Department of the Special Prosecutor's Office seized a large quantity of weapons, mines and explosives... ( gunpolicy.org )
China
Gun Raids Yield 470 Suspects, 183 Firearms in Chongqing Province
China Daily
15 January 2009
Chongqing has become a passageway for illegal firearms trafficking through which guns can spread throughout the southwest or even the entire country unless action is taken, a senior police officer said. Deputy director of the Chongqing criminal police squad Wu Lixun told the Chongqing Times yesterday his team had learned online and inter-provincial gun trading were on the rise. The weapons included standard, knockoff and... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Winnipeg Police Seize 'Cobbled-together' Submachine Gun in Gang Bust
Winnipeg Sun (Manitoba)
13 January 2009
A submachine-gun seized during a gang house raid in Winnipeg's North End last week is unlike anything a police firearms expert has seen locally before. What makes the gun so unique -- and troubling, police say -- is the way it was cobbled together. "It looks like a hybrid or amalgam of gun parts," said police Det. Const. Rob Duttchen, a member of the National Weapons Enforcement Support Team. Shotguns Stolen ... ( gunpolicy.org )
India
Most New Delhi Gun Homicides Committed with Locally Crafted Guns
Live Mint TV / Hindustan Times (New Delhi), Transcript
6 January 2009
FARRUKHABAD, Uttar Pradesh -- At first sight, there's nothing to set apart this small yet bustling town on the Ganga, located near Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh. The chaotic medley of traffic -- cycles, scooters, auto-rickshaws, cars, buses and tractors -- bouncing along potholed roads could be a scene from any town in India. Yet, Farrukhabad, about a 9-hour drive from New Delhi and the headquarters of an Uttar Pradesh district, has the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Pakistan
Officers Stole Police Guns, Substituted Home Made Guns in Islamabad
Khabrain (Pakistan)
5 January 2009
ISLAMABAD -- The high-level police officials of the capital have shown ordinary and locally manufactured smaller weapons and cartridges from the local tribal arms dealers in place of the highly sophisticated and sensitive weapons that had been recovered from the Red Mosque during Operation Silence and subsequently stolen from the Aabpara police station. The police could not recover the stolen weapons. The capital police have put... ( gunpolicy.org )
Benin
Poverty, Gun Trafficking, Home Made Guns Fuel Armed Crime in Benin
Punch (Lagos)
3 January 2009
Rise in violent crimes threaten to further impoverish Benin by choking off small businesses, according to law enforcement and arms control officials. Police in Benin's economic capital, Cotonou, link this year's rise in armed robbery and violent crimes to small arms trafficking and the growing desperation of people who can no longer afford their basic needs. In the past two months, no fewer than seven people have died while... ( gunpolicy.org )
Myanmar, China
Ethnic Army, Drug Traffickers 'Manufacturing AK-47s' in Myanmar
Irrawaddy (Thailand)
17 December 2008
The United Wa State Army (UWSA), an armed ethnic ceasefire group based in Shan State, northern Burma, is manufacturing arms and ammunition for use by its own battalions and to sell to other armed groups in the region, according to sources close to armed groups in Shan State. Speaking to The Irrawaddy on Tuesday, Sai Sheng Murng, the deputy spokesman of the rival Shan State Army-South (SSA) said, "For more than one year now, the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia
Russian Police Among Gun Runners Charged in 90-gun Moscow Bust
BBC Worldwide Monitoring / Ekho Moskvy radio (Moscow) / Gazprom, Transcript
20 October 2008
Last weekend the FSB [Federal Security Service] and the Russian Interior Ministry carried out a large-scale operation against criminal gangs that had been involved in illegal production and sale of firearms, a high-ranking source in Russian law enforcement agencies has told RIA Novosti. The source said that as a result of the operation, which was carried out in Moscow, Moscow Region and Smolensk Region, more than 90 units of firearms... ( gunpolicy.org )
India
Firearms Flow In, But New Delhi Police Say Gun Crime Down in Capital
Times of India
15 October 2008
NEW DELHI -- The rampant use of unlicensed firearms has turned into a nightmare for the NCR police. On Tuesday, a chartered accountant was shot dead in north-east Delhi over a property dispute while another person was killed in Gurgaon over a petty issue. A day before, a gym owner was shot near his residence in Pitampura. On September 30, Soumya Viswanathan, a producer with a news channel, was shot while returning home to Vasant Kunj from... ( gunpolicy.org )
China
Gun Culture, Gun Crime on the Rise, But Still Officially Hidden in China
Wall Street Journal
13 October 2008
SHANGHAI -- China's weapons laws are among the world's toughest. Its blanket ban on private ownership of rifles, pistols and even gun replicas is a core tenet of social policy. Still, a gun culture is taking hold. China may be freer from gun crime than many nations, and official statistics show overall crime on a continuous down trend. Yet, these days, reports about gun crimes turn up as often as several times a week even in the... ( gunpolicy.org )
India
Bengal Police Raid Indian Gun Factory 'Making Illegal Guns for 5 Years'
Times of India
1 September 2008
KOLKATA -- Following a trail after the arrest of a notorious criminal, South 24-Parganas police unearthed an arms-manufacturing unit at a remote village in Bishnupur early on Sunday. Five persons were arrested for their involvement in the gun-running racket and a huge cache of arms was recovered. The arrests proved that, apart from arms made from Munger, a major quantum of illegal arms are also produced in various parts of Bengal.... ( gunpolicy.org )
India
In Family Honour Dispute, Delhi Teen Kills Woman with Home-made Gun
Indo Asian News Service
11 August 2008
A Class 12 student opposed to his brother's relationship with a girl has been arrested for gunning down the girl's mother in the Indian capital, the police said Monday. The 17-year-old was arrested from Kundli area Sunday for killing Rita Dube, who was in her late 30s, last week following a heated argument at her house in Narela, a police offical said. Rita, her husband Brijesh, their three daughters and two sons had moved... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Unlicensed Gun Repair Shop Raided, 14 Weapons Seized in Philippines
ABS-CBN News (Bacolod)
5 August 2008
Members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group raided a gun repair shop and confiscated 14 firearms in Negros Occidental on Monday. Senior Inspector Fernando Salvatierra said they seized from a repair shop in Barangay 1-A in Manapla town and which was allegedly owned by a certain Ivan Lozano, two .22 caliber revolvers, three 12-gauge shotguns, three .22 caliber rifles, a .9MM pistol, a .38 caliber revolver, a barrel of... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
British Judge Condemns, Jails Gang of Manchester Crime Gun Makers
Asian News (UK)
4 August 2008
The man who sentenced Kaleem Akhtar and his gang said gun crimes like theirs were 'ruling and ruining' the lives of decent people. Judge Clement Goldstone mounted a scathing attack on the seven men for giving criminals the means to maim and kill those who stood in their way. "For several years the city of Manchester has lived with an unwanted reputation as a centre of gun-related crime," he said. "Now it finds... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
'Thrill-seeking Rich Kid' Ran UK Gun-running Gang, Jailed for 20 Years
Independent (UK)
2 August 2008
A businessman who helped organise the biggest gun-running gang ever uncovered in Britain was jailed for 20 years yesterday. Kaleem Akhtar, 29, teamed up with the former cage-fighter Paul Wilson, the "gangster" Mudassar Ali and four others to sell an "assassin's armoury" to the underworld. Akhtar, described as a "thrill-seeking rich kid", was said to be driven by a "desire for street cred and glory". They flooded the criminal... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Gang of 7 Imported, Sold Handguns to UK Gangs, Jailed for 9-20 Years
BBC News
1 August 2008
Seven men behind the biggest gun running operation ever uncovered in the UK have been jailed for up to 20 years. The gang, from Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, Merseyside and Essex, were part of a scheme to import and convert blank-firing guns from Lithuania. They were made into "assassin kits" with silencers and bullets and sold for £1,700, Manchester Crown Court heard. Some 56 guns and 856 bullets were seized... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
UK Gun Shop Sold 90 Convertible Machine Pistols 'For James Bond Film'
BBC News
1 August 2008
A man accused of buying 90 replica guns and converting them into live weapons told an arms dealer they were needed for a James Bond film, a court heard. Grant Wilkinson, 34, used a fake name to buy replica Mac-10 submachine guns, Reading Crown Court was told on Friday. He and co-defendant Gary Lewis, 38, are accused of converting the guns, which went on to be used in eight murders. The firearms were linked with... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
UK Men Activated 90 Machine Guns, Linked to 51 Shootings, 8 Murders
BBC News
30 July 2008
Two men ran an illegal gun factory to turn replica guns into live weapons later used in 51 shootings including eight murders, a court has heard. Grant Wilkinson, 34, and Gary Lewis, 38, deny nine charges of firearms offences after the discovery of weapons and ammunition near Reading last July. Mr Wilkinson bought 90 replica guns in 2004, which he told the dealer were for a James Bond film, the jury heard. But the... ( gunpolicy.org )
India
Criminal Use of Legal, Illegal Guns, Craft Manufacture Worry Delhi Police
National (Abu Dhabi)
23 July 2008
NEW DELHI -- Terrified residents in India's capital are calling for police to do more to tackle gun crime after a spate of shootings this month left five men dead and a sixth in critical condition. In the most recent incident, a 40-year old man was shot dead on Monday night in central Delhi. A week earlier, three men were shot and a fourth critically wounded by a motorcycle gang that police believed was responsible for a host of... ( gunpolicy.org )
China
Chinese Journalists Wounded as Weapon Fires in Gun Control Display
Agence France Presse
19 July 2008
BEIJING -- Three journalists were injured in southwest China when a gun went off at a news conference called by Chinese police to highlight the success of a gun-control campaign, state media said Friday. The incident took place in Nanchong in Sichuan province to publicize the results of a campaign by the city's police to seize illegal weapons, the Beijing News reported. According to Zheng Chongjun, deputy head of the political... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ghana, West Africa
Ghana's Locally Made Illegal Guns Fuel West Africa's Crime Epidemic
Independent (UK)
8 July 2008
ACCRA -- Joseph Kwaku interrupted his work hawking bootleg DVDs at a teeming road junction just long enough to ensure no police officer was within earshot. He said: "Yes, it's easy to get a gun here if you want one. They're not expensive -- 10 dollars. Not pretty but very deadly." The type of gun in question bears little resemblance to factory-made weaponry such as the ubiquitous AK-47 that has been used to prosecute ruinous conflicts... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ghana
Legalising Backyard Gun Makers Not the Way to Go in Ghana, Says Minister
Joy Online (Ghana)
7 July 2008
Legalising small arms in the country puts the country on the threshold of creating a violent society. This also mean that the production of small arms in the country must be completely nibbed in the bud. The Minister of State at the Interior Ministry, Nana Obiri-Boahen made these remarks when he reacted to suggestions in the media advocating for the legalisation of the production of small arms in the country. Security... ( gunpolicy.org )
Mali, West Africa
Mali a Hub for Gun Running, Local Weapon Makers Thrive in West Africa
IRIN (UN News)
12 June 2008
BAMAKO/TIMBUKTU -- Mali has become an established transit route for weapons heading from West Africa's increasingly peaceful coastal states to active conflicts in West and Central Africa, an ECOWAS expert has warned. "There are two factors on the supply side -- stabilisation in Cote d'Ivoire and in Guinea Conakry," said Jonathan Sandy, small arms programme manager with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Bamako,... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Mentally Ill US Man Built Assault Rifles off Net; Shot, Killed Police Officer
Tucson Citizen (Arizona) / AP
7 June 2008
A young man with a history of mental instability who is charged with murdering a police officer was not on any law enforcement list preventing him from acquiring weapons, a loophole that many states tried to close after the Virginia Tech shootings last year. Authorities believe David Nickolas Delich bought parts through the mail to build the three assault-style rifles he had in his possession during last weekend's shooting spree.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Illegal Gun Makers in Phillipines Now Want to Export Hand-made Firearms
Philippine Sun Star (Cebu) / DME
29 May 2008
A Congressman has recognized the potential of the firearms industry in Danao City to cater to the international market. Rep. Roilo Golez (Para-ñaque), in an interview with news reporters yesterday, said he also believes that legalizing gun manufacturing in Danao will deter the presence of illegal manufacturers. "The firearms (manufactured) in Danao City can substitute the imported ones," he said. He also said... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
61 Guns, Illegal Pistols, Ammunition Reloader Seized from Canadian Farm
Regina Leader-Post (Saskatchewan)
26 May 2008
REGINA -- Recalling images of the wild west, a cache of five dozen firearms and a baseball bat with spikes hammered into it discovered on a farm in southwest Saskatchewan were put on display for the media Friday. "It certainly is on the higher end of a (weapons) seizure," RCMP Sgt. Carole Raymond said in an interview. Two men are facing 21 charges after Ponteix RCMP, executing a search warrant on a farm in the Mankota area... ( gunpolicy.org )
Croatia, Sweden
57 Firearms, Explosives Seized from Croatia-to-Sweden Gun Running Gang
BBC Worldwide Monitoring / HINA, Transcript
25 May 2008
Zagreb police cracked down on a ring of arms producers and smugglers, and charged nine persons with having specialised in producing arms and explosives and smuggling them to western Europe, notably Sweden, the head of the Zagreb police, Marijan Tomurad, said at a news conference on Saturday. He stressed that the arms and bombs had been intended for clashed among underworld crime gangs and that the arms smugglers had no connections... ( gunpolicy.org )
Japan
Doctor Faces Japanese Court Over 18 Guns, Home Made Ammunition
Mainichi Daily News (Japan)
22 May 2008
TSU -- A doctor accused of illegally possessing guns has been slapped with a new charge of manufacturing bullets without permission, law enforcers said. Mie Prefectural Police have sent to the Tsu District Public Prosecutors Office additional papers accusing Kenji Abo, 58, a doctor from Tsu, of violating the Ordnance Manufacturing Law. "I wanted to make (bullets) by myself," Abo was quoted as telling police as he admitted... ( gunpolicy.org )
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