Top of PageGun Policy News
Home made, or cottage industry small arms
Mexico Gangs Prefer Guns from the 80s-90s as They Are Harder to Trace
31 January 2012
InSight Crime (Bogota)
According to Mexico's Defense Department, criminal organizations are equipping themselves with firearms that are between 20 and 30 years old. The government says this casts doubt on the claim that the gangs are better armed than the security forces.
The Mexican Army seized over 130,000 firearms since 2006, the majority of which were fabricated in the 1980s and 1990s, Excelsior reports. These include makeshift weapons that were modified or repaired using old parts from... (GunPolicy.org)
China,United States,Ghana,Nigeria
Nigerian Civilians Hold 2 Million Guns, Security Forces 600,000
30 January 2012
Nation (Nigeria)
Members of the dreaded insurgent group, Boko Haram, armed robbers and hired assassins have done great havoc with guns acquired illegally. Where are they coming from? OLUKAYODE THOMAS and JOKE KUJENYA examine the sources of illegal arms into the country.
The ruins are still visible on the police zonal headquatres in Kano. The offices of the State Security Service (SSS) and the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) testify to the Boko Haram bombing and armed assaults of... (GunPolicy.org)
Assembling Illegal Guns with Imported Pieces, Growing Trend within Sydney's Underworld
29 January 2012
Daily Telegraph (Sydney)
Criminals are assembling illegal weapons in backyard firearm factories after importing them piece-by-piece over the internet.
The Sunday Telegraph can reveal the parts are being sourced from legitimate gun dealers in the US and pieced together in NSW after arriving in the mail undetected.
Detective Superintendent Ken Finch, commander of the Firearms and Organised Crime Squad (FAOCS), said a number of unrelated individuals had already been arrested and charged over the... (GunPolicy.org)
Availability of Guns Highlights Critical Need for Nigeria to Tighten Gun Control
19 January 2012
Daily Trust (Abuja), Opinion
The recent detection and confiscation of Nigeria-bound cache of arms by the Ghanaian Police Service in Accra brings into focus the danger of illegal firearms in Nigeria.
The lorry load of weapons destined for Nigeria highlights a critical need for the Nigerian authorities to be more vigilant in enforcement of gun control laws. While Boko Haram bombings, communal killings and economic problems are taking centre stage, the onslaught of murderous bank robberies, killing... (GunPolicy.org)
Venezuela Destroyed 138,000 Arms in 2011 [Espanol]
17 January 2012
Venezolana de Televisión (Caracas)
[Translated summary: The director of Venezuela National Police explained that the rate of destruction in 2011 is of 464 weapons per 100,000 people. An important result compared to 90 weapons per 100,000 people in Brazil.]
El director de la PNB explicó que esa cifra nos da una tasa de destrucción de 464 armas por cada 100.000 habitantes, sólo en el 2011 / Resaltó que este que este dato demuestra que en Venezuela "estamos demostrando con hechos que hay una voluntad... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Tantra in Etah, India: Anyone Worth His Salt Keeps Firearms
6 January 2012
Hindustan Times (Delhi)
From being the birthplace of 12th century poet Amir Khusro to a district where the high crime rate makes virtually anyone worth his salt keep firearms, the descent of Etah into disrepute makes it a symbol of much that's wrong with UP's wild west. Its residents know this ground reality all too well.
That is why the question - what is Etah famous for? - gets seven out of 10 people here to reply 'crime', albeit after a little prodding.
One does not have to go far to see... (GunPolicy.org)
El Salvador Destroyed 3,817 Guns in 2011, 36,000 Since 2000 [Espanol]
13 December 2011
Info Defensa (El Salvador), Media release
[Translated summary: El Salvador Ministry of Defence destroyed 3,817 firearms in 2011. Amongst these, 2,782 handguns, 856 rifles and 179 hand-made artifacts. Since 2000, 36,000 firearms were destroyed in El Salvador.]
SAN SALVADOR – El Ministerio de la Defensa Nacional de El Salvador destruyó la semana pasada más de 3.000 armas irregulares que fueron decomisadas en diferentes acciones policiales durante el año 2011. Según informó Defensa, a través de un... (GunPolicy.org)
Cambodia,Thailand,India,Myanmar,Bangladesh
Menace of Illicit Small Arms Industry, Trade, Violence in India - Opinion
28 November 2011
Express Buzz (India), Opinion
According to a recent study, India witnessed 4,100 gunshot murders in 2008. These murders would work out to 12.2 per cent of the over 33,700 murders reported during the year. Overall, there were over 6,200 deaths due to gunshots; about 66 per cent of them were murders, 26.3 per cent were accidental deaths and 7.7 per cent were suicides. It was also reported that most of the victims of firearm murders in India were killed using unlicensed firearms.
Studies conducted... (GunPolicy.org)
India Police Unearth Illegal Factory of Country-Made Guns
21 November 2011
Times of India
HAZARIBAG - Barhi Police arrested a former activist of the Jharkhand Prasstuti Committee (JPC), who had opened an illegal factory to manufacture country-made revolvers and firearms, from his hideout at Kariyatpur on Monday.
Sagarjee alias Samunder Bhuiyan had started manufacturing arms to collect money from various development schemes in the district, said SP Pankaj Kamboj.
Bhuiyan, who originally belonged to Bendi village in Katkumsandi of Hazaribag, was an activist... (GunPolicy.org)
Bihar, India Police to Melt 60,000 Illegal Guns, Convert to Farm Tools
18 November 2011
New Delhi Television (India)
MUZAFFARPUR - Blacksmith Sunil Thakur had never felt as important in his life as he did on Nov. 4, when the district police chief, an executive magistrate and a posse of junior officials visited his makeshift roadside furnace.
They handed him six country-made pistols, known as kattas, and asked him to transform them into farm and gardening tools. As a crowd assembled, the blacksmith heated the guns, and then hammered the red-hot metal for nearly an hour, shaping them... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany,China,United States,India
Increasing Availability and Seizures of Illicit Guns in Pune, India
17 November 2011
Express India
PUNE - Failure in identifying and cracking down on criminals involved in manufacturing and selling of illegal firearms is the major reason behind unchecked illegal trade of firearms in the city, police said. And investigation of some of the cases revealed that the quality of illegal firearms has improved, availability has increased while cost has gone down, police said.
According to the figures obtained by The Indian Express under the Right to Information Act (RTI)... (GunPolicy.org)
Shooting in Geneva: Airguns Turned into Lethal Weapons [Francais]
14 November 2011
20 Minutes (Geneva)
[Translated summary: The gun homicide at Geneva's mall highlights new practices: turning airguns into lethal weapons that are available on the 'Grey Market'.]
Le meurtre du centre commercial des Cygnes, au coeur de Genève, met en exergue de nouvelles pratiques chez certains marginaux du canton.
«Pour 1000 francs, on trouve facilement un 9 mm. Moi j'ai mon 22 (n.d.l.r.: long rifle). Et maintenant, les Albanais ont une nouvelle spécialité, ils transforment des... (GunPolicy.org)
Alleged Gun Dealer, Illegal Firearm Manufacturer Charged in Nigeria
10 November 2011
This Day (Lagos)
The Nigerian Police Command in Bauchi State has arrested one Gambo Mohammed and his collaborator, Alhassan Mohammed, for allegedly manufacturing of illegal firearms and ammunitions.
The state Police Commissioner, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, who disclosed this to newsmen in his office, yesterday, said the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) recovered from the suspects two firearms, ammunition fabricating apparatus, one oxygen gas cylinder, corrugated local implements for... (GunPolicy.org)
Proliferation of Small Arms in Burkina, New Actors Committed [Francais]
10 November 2011
Sidwaya (Burkina Faso)
[Translated summary: According to the National Commission for the Fight against Proliferation of Small Arms (CNLPAL), around 2 million small arms are circulating in Burkina Faso. Many of these small arms are home-made. During 2008, 248 small arms were seized, including 170 home-made, against 378 seized in 2009, including 249 home-made. In the first quarter of 2010, 140 small arms were seized, including 50 home-made.]
La Commission nationale de lutte contre la... (GunPolicy.org)
From Arms to Farms - Indian State Plans to Melt Guns Into Garden Tools
9 November 2011
BBC News
PATNA, Bihar - Police in the northern Indian state of Bihar have come up with an original way to deal with the surfeit of seized illegal firearms that are stored in police station storehouses, or malkhanas.
They have decided to melt the weapons down into farming and gardening tools.
"The weapons stashed in police station malkhanas are of no use once the legal process of the case is over. They stink like dead bodies," says Abhyanand, the Bihar police chief who has... (GunPolicy.org)
Ten-year Drive to Disarm Uganda Results in 900 Deaths, Mainly Civilians
8 November 2011
Monitor (Kampala)
At least 900 people, majority of them civilians have been killed in the north-eastern Karamoja region since the UPDF launched a disarmament exercise 10 years ago.
According to a report released this year by the UPDF, 623 civilians and 269 soldiers were killed either in crossfire or ambushes, which brought the army under the spotlight over alleged human rights abuses as they carried out disarmament.
The report also shows that 417 civilians and 289 soldiers were injured... (GunPolicy.org)
Government Builds Industrial Estate for Illegal Gun Makers in Pakistan
7 November 2011
Central Asia Online (USA)
PESHAWAR – An industrial park will be established in Dara Adamkhel to help transform the illicit arms-manufacturing businesses of tribesmen into legal entities capable of earning export revenue.
The Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) Development Authority recently approved Rs. 196m (US $2.3m) for setting up the industrial business park, Zarar Imtenan of the Pakistan Hunting & Sporting Arms Development Company (PHSADC) said.
"The PHSADC in a meeting with... (GunPolicy.org)
Growing Spread of Homemade Firearms in Cameroon, Debate Revived
3 November 2011
Radio Netherlands
Last July, 21-year-old Giulien Tchouangang accidentally shot and killed his little brother, Sidou Dzongang, who was only 13. The two brothers were playing with a firearm they found in their living room, unaware that it was loaded.
"The firearm Giulien Tchouangang used is a homemade 5.5mm calibre rifle which was modified into a 12 mm calibre that is used for hunting," says Sergeant Wassaing Albert, who heads the Bangou gendarmerie unit in Western Province of Cameroon,... (GunPolicy.org)
Peace Building NGO Calls on Ghana Police to Address Crime Structural Causes
3 November 2011
Ghana News Agency
The West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), a peace building NGO, has called on the Ghana Police Service to devote more time and energy at addressing the structural causes of crime to ensure that the country becomes peaceful through reduction in crime.
It says the current efforts by the Police by way of dawn swoops in an attempt to weed out criminals from their hideouts were though commendable, such swoops were equally security threats having the high potential... (GunPolicy.org)
Blacksmiths Resolve to End Illicit Gun Manufacturing in Tamale, Ghana
3 November 2011
Ghana News Agency
A group of Blacksmith in Tamale on Tuesday resolved to put an end to the illicit manufacturing and fixing of arms as their quota towards ensuring peace in the area.
They also pledged to report any person or group of persons who is found manufacturing illicit arms since it has negative repercussions on the socio-economic development of the country.
The group made the resolution at a sensitisation forum organised by the Ghana National Commission on Small Arms (GNACSA)... (GunPolicy.org)
Proliferation of Home-Made Guns Out of Control in Papua New Guinea
31 October 2011
Radio New Zealand International (Shortwave)
A member of the Pacific Small Arms Action Group says the proliferation of home-made guns in Papua New Guinea is out of control and requires a multi-agency approach to deal with it.
John Toguata, a former PNG police commander and a spokesman for the Coalition Against Gun Violence, says weapon parts are readily accessible in PNG, especially in the Highlands where stockpiles are growing.
He wants the government to allocate sufficient funding and resources to reduce the... (GunPolicy.org)
Amnesty in Daloa, Ivory Coast: 31 Small Arms Collected [Francais]
14 October 2011
Abidjan Net (Côte d'Ivoire)
[Translated summary: The Ivory Coast Commission for the Fight Against the Proliferation and Illicit Circulation of Small Arms and Light Weapons has launched a disarmament campaign in Daloa. So far, 31 arms (including weapons of war, submachine guns, AK-47, and hand-made rifles) and 639 ammunition were collected.]
La Commission nationale de lutte contre la prolifération et la circulation illicite des armes légères et de petits calibres en Côte d'Ivoire (ComNat-CI)... (GunPolicy.org)
India,Russia,Germany,United States
India's Unlicensed Gun Market Thrives on Smuggled, Home Made Firearms
5 October 2011
First Post (Mumbai)
A 10-year-old boy was accidentally shot dead by his 12-year-old neighbour while they were playing cop and thief in West Delhi earlier this week. On 24 September, 23-year-old toll attendant, Umeshkant Pandey, was shot dead by the driver of a white Bolero. His crime: he asked the driver to pay Rs 27 as toll tax.
Gun crime has consistently been on the rise in India, and every few weeks, there is a new tragedy. An armed gang shoots a woman over a small piece of jewellery,... (GunPolicy.org)
Dealer Takes Gun for Disposal, Australia Police Find It in Hands of Criminal
4 October 2011
West Australian (Perth)
A double-barrelled shotgun a Perth man gave to a gunsmith for disposal has been found by police at the home of a suspected criminal almost 18 months later.
The gunsmith had modified the weapon so it was unusable.
But former owner Rod, who did not want his surname revealed, said he was concerned because it would look like an operating gun to a potential crime victim.
"It was taken off my licence and I thought it would be crushed or given to police," he said.
"But... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns Easily Available and Increasingly Used Against Women in Pakistan
30 September 2011
Inter Press Service News Agency
PESHAWAR - Guns available in new abundance in the troubled north of Pakistan are increasingly being used on women in 'honour' killings and domestic disputes, according to local reports.
"About 65 percent of the women killed fall prey to gunfire in honour-related cases and issues relating to domestic violence," local security analyst Brigadier (retired) Muhammad Saad told IPS.
Citing a study by the local Awaz Foundation, he said the problem has been caused by easy... (GunPolicy.org)
Shootings Highlight Disturbing Trend: Easy Availability of Guns in India
25 September 2011
India Today, Editorial
The wanton murder of Umeshkant Pandey, an attendant at the Gurgaon toll plaza, on Thursday has once again highlighted the rising gun culture in the national capital. Pandey, 22, was shot by a man for merely asking for the Rs 27 toll fee.
His killing is akin to that of Delhi University student Radhika Tanwar - who was shot dead in March this year by a man who claimed to have been a jilted lover, but was probably a mere stalker.
These cases highlight certain disturbing... (GunPolicy.org)
Major Seizures of Guns Mainly Firearm Dealer Imports - Australia Customs
14 September 2011
Daily Telegraph (Sydney)
December 23, 2008
Sydney
Huge haul of weapons including:
Assault rifles: Steyr F88, Norinco SKS, Marlin 60 and ADI SLR L1A1
Handguns: Beretta 92FS and Remington 870 Wingmaster
Shot guns: Mossberg 500A
Teargas
16cm rifle silencer
Pistol scope
Megatron Transformer
December 8, 2009
Sydney
980 rounds of FMJ green tip M855 Penetrator armour piercing bullets
July 25, 2006
Brisbane
Steyer tactical scout elite .308 calibre rifle, with telescopic sight
May 30,... (GunPolicy.org)
Colombia: 1,378 Hand-Made Firearms Seized by Cali Police [Espanol]
13 September 2011
El Paìs (Colombia)
[Translated summary: So far this year, the Cali Metropolitan Police have seized 1,378 hand-made firearms and have caught 1,556 individuals for illegal possession.]
Gracias a actividades de prevención y control adelantadas por unidades adscritas a la Policía Metropolitana de Cali, en inmediaciones de la Carrera 12 con Calle 22A del barrio Obrero, se logró la captura de una persona que portaba un arma de fuego 'encaletada' en un libro.
Las autoridades notaron que,... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Gangsters Get 400yrs for Pistol Factory, Drug & Gun Trafficking
12 September 2011
London Daily News (UK)
A group of 37 gun traders and drug suppliers have been sentenced to a total in excess of 400 years imprisonment following a successful Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) sting operation.
The men appeared at Wood Green Crown Court following an undercover initiative designed to target serious and organised crime in and around Enfield borough. The last sentencing took place on 9 September 2011.
Codenamed Operation Peyzac, the initiative involved detectives launching a... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Launch Crackdown on Gun Smuggling from India to Nepal
12 September 2011
República (Kathmandu)
NEPALGUNJ - Banke police have launched a crackdown on smuggling of weapons into Nepal from India.
A day after seizing two revolvers and two home-made pistols, Banke police on Friday seized two more home-made pistols. Police have seized 12 weapons of various types in the last two months alone.
"As Dashain festival approaches, criminals are smuggling small arms from India to extort businessmen," said SP Dinesh Amatya of Banke police. "Therefore, we have launched a... (GunPolicy.org)
Peru: Over 500 Illegal Guns Seized in the Province of Callao [Espanol]
7 September 2011
Andina (Peru)
[Translated summary: The Regional President of Callao announced that around 500 firearms, coming from the black market, were seized this year in Callao. This number represents 25% of the illegal firearms circulating in the province. 65% of the recovered firearms were possessed by youth. The President added that these results are partly due to incentives provided for by Callao Regional Government using cash to reward the police for their efforts.]
LIMA - El presidente... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico Arrests US Man Accused of Smuggling Arm Parts for Cartels
6 September 2011
Washington Post / AP
PHOENIX — Police have arrested an American man who allegedly smuggled parts for as many as 2,000 grenades into Mexico for drug cartels, more than a year after he was released by U.S. agents who stopped him at the Arizona-Mexico border for having more than a hundred grenade parts.
While a Department of Justice official said the case will be added to the investigation of Operation Fast and Furious, a flawed effort by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and... (GunPolicy.org)
Costa Rica: Thieves After Guns of Security Guards to Commit Crimes
2 September 2011
Inside Costa Rica
Private security guards in Costa Rica are the new target of thieves looking to steal their guns to commit robberies. Carrying a firearm does not exempt a person from becoming a victim.
Statistics that this year there have already been one too many cases of a death of a person victim of having their firearm stolen.
One such case occurred in Tibás (north side of San José) a few months agon when a Tránsito (traffic) official was shot dead during the robbery of his... (GunPolicy.org)
Since 2008, 4,029 Firearms Collected in Bengo, Angola [Francais]
23 August 2011
Angola Press Agency (Luanda)
[Translated summary: The National Police collected twelve firearms in the framework of Angola Disarmament Campaign. Since 2008, 4,029 firearms have been collected.]
CAXITO, Angola - Le commandement provincial de la Police nationale a recueilli douze armes à feu, la fin de la semaine dernière, dans la province de Bengo, au nord de Luanda, dans le cadre de la campagne de désarmément en cours dans le pays.
Un communiqué parvenu mardi, à l'Angop, souligne que le... (GunPolicy.org)
Palestine,Libya,Chad,Sudan,Egypt
Smuggled, Stolen and Homemade, Guns Flood Egypt's Streets
27 June 2011
Al Masry Al Youm (Egypt)
A new conversation has been taking place around Egypt for the past five months, one that rarely came up before. How do you acquire a firearm?
With rising crime rates and an ongoing security vacuum since 28 January, the smuggling, manufacturing, and purchasing of weapons is on the rise.The insecurity has generated new clients and markets in a country where previously one rarely heard of civilians carrying personal weapons. The persistent security vacuum has sparked a... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigeria Police Parade 48 Suspected Armed Robbers, Seize 10 AK-47s
16 June 2011
Vanguard (Lagos)
BENIN — The Edo State Security Service, SSS, and the State Police Command, Tuesday, paraded 48 suspected armed robbers and kidnappers, recovering N7.7million and cache of ammunitions with them.
Among the suspected kidnappers paraded were persons alleged to be involved in the abduction of the father-in-law to the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Chief Felix Okungbowa. Also, some of the arrested armed robbers included the gang that carted away N7.7million after they... (GunPolicy.org)
Cayman Islands Police Holding a Gun Amnesty to Reduce Gun Crimes
8 June 2011
Cayman News Service (Cayman Islands)
Police will be holding a month long amnesty on firearms this July in an effort to repeat last year's success. Detective Superintendent Marlon Bodden said that this time the amnesty would be promoted at a local level through a series of town hall meetings where police would discuss the issue of gun crime with residents in the community. He told CNS Wednesday morning that he believed the reason why there had been no murders in the Cayman Islands so far in 2011 was because... (GunPolicy.org)
Accused White Supremacist Gets 10yrs for Gun Dealings in Connecticut
6 May 2011
NBC News (USA)
A Milford man accused of being a white supremacist was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Thursday for his involvement in selling firearms and explosive grenades to an informant he believed was a member of the Ku Klux Klan.
Alexander DeFelice, 34, was convicted in December on one count of conspiracy, two counts of transferring a firearm to a convicted felon, one count of making explosive grenades and one count of transferring explosive grenades. He also pleaded guilty... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns Marked Italy, UK Illegally Made in Indian Workshops - Delhi Police
20 April 2011
Times of India
NEW DELHI - In the fifth major haul this year by Delhi Police - and the third by the crime branch - another gun-running racket with its base in UP and Bihar and market in Delhi has been unearthed.
"Unlike the other consignments, this gang used to deal only with sophisticated semi-automatic weapons. Though the pistols carry marks claiming that they have been manufactured in Italy and England, all the five revolvers recovered have been traced to Munger district of... (GunPolicy.org)
Arms Dealers Under Police Scrutiny in Pakistan Target Killing Incidents
7 March 2011
Daily Times (Lahore)
KARACHI - After the investigation of 26 alleged target killers, police in the metropolis has started to collect the data of arms dealers and also decided to gather information regarding small arms buyers.
The method will help investigating the arrested accused 89 target killers who had been involved in target killing for the last three years.
The forensic division of Sindh police had also started collection of data regarding the arms dealers, sources said. The sources... (GunPolicy.org)
Murder Suspects Shoot, Kill 6, Injure 5 in Rare Beijing Police Shootout
5 January 2011
New York Times
BEIJING — Two men wielding a shotgun and a homemade pistol fatally shot three police officers and an assistant and staged a series of carjackings in a city in northeastern China, state news media reported Wednesday, a rare example of gun violence in a nation where average citizens are largely barred from owning firearms.
The episode in Tai'an, a city in Shandong Province, left five others wounded after officers and assistants of the city public security bureau... (GunPolicy.org)
Murder Suspects Shoot, Kill 3 Police, Wound Six in Rare Beijing Shootout
4 January 2011
Associated Press
BEIJING - A pair of murder suspects killed three police officers in a shootout after going on a carjacking spree in eastern China, a news report said Wednesday, a rare case of gun violence in a country where private firearms ownership is illegal.
Two civilians and four police officers were also wounded in the shootout in Tai'an city in the eastern coastal province of Shandong.
The suspects hijacked four cars in a row, shooting two of the drivers, before they were... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Charge Man with Making, Selling Shotguns on the Web in China
24 December 2010
Xinhua
Chinese police have cracked a serious case of Internet-enabled gun selling and said they are monitoring the new crime method. The Ministry of Public Security revealed Thursday that police began their investigation of the case in May.
They said the owner of the Internet gun shop, Zhou Zhaoping, and four other suspects were arrested on June 8 in Wuxi City in east China's Jiangsu Province.
Zhou, a 31-year-old man from Yixing City, Jiangsu, had produced and sold shotguns,... (GunPolicy.org)
India's New Gun Obsession 'Makes Charlton Heston Look Like Gandhi'
20 December 2010
Global Post (Boston)
NEW DELHI, India — Three years after two teenage boys allegedly gunned down his 14-year-old son, Abishek, over a playground spat, Gurgaon businessman Rajinder Tyagi is dry-eyed as he describes the boy's senseless murder. A veteran of hundreds of media interviews, he's made himself numb in an endeavor to shield his wife and daughter from the press.
"My son was walking down the stairs," recalls Tyagi, his face set with grim determination. "They shot him from the back.... (GunPolicy.org)
Plague of Illegal Guns, Armed Crime Linked to Political Patronage in India
20 December 2010
Global Post (Boston)
NEW DELHI, India — About a year after India's first school shooting, Soumya Viswanathan, a 26-year-old television journalist, was shot and killed on her way home from work. A pretty and vivacious girl with a broad, bright smile, she had stayed late at the station to help her colleagues finish editing a story. At 3 a.m., knowing that her parents worried about her, she called her father to tell him that she was on her way home. She never made it.
"She was not coming,"... (GunPolicy.org)
Drug Trade Blamed for Mushrooming Gun Culture in Trinidad and Tobago
13 December 2010
Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday, Editorial
The assurance provided by Minister of National Security, Brigadier John Sandy, last Wednesday that Trinidad and Tobago remained committed to tackling the illicit manufacturing and cross border trafficking in firearms in the region will be hailed by concerned persons.
Sandy, who was addressing a two-day workshop on the troubling twin problem, hosted by the United Nations, advised that Government was currently developing its own draft plans of action with respect to the... (GunPolicy.org)
80,000 Illegal Guns Estimated in Ghana, Most of Them Home Made
9 December 2010
Ghana News Agency
ACCRA - Mrs Trudy Kernighan, Canadian High Commissioner, on Thursday said it was important for Ghana to raise public awareness and inform the citizens about the effects of the misuse of small arms to enhance stability and security.
She said the misuse of small arms fuelled conflicts contributed to violent crimes and hampered humanitarian assistance, peace building and sustainable development.
Mrs Kernighan said this at the launch of a five-year strategic plan to... (GunPolicy.org)
Turkey,Italy,Portugal,Netherlands,Europe
Italian Gas Guns Illegally Converted in Portugal to Arm European Criminals
19 November 2010
NRC Handelsblad (Rotterdam)
As the EU cracks down on firearms, illegal trafficking in altered alarm guns is booming on the Continent. They're cheap, easy to alter, impossible to trace – so they're becoming the criminal's weapon of choice.
At the age of 10, Massimo Tanfoglio was already packaging pistols in his father's factory. Now, age 57, he manages the Fratelli Tanfoglio firearms factory in Gardone Val Trompia, in northern Italy. Strolling down the streets of this small town, you'll see... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Gun Factory, 'MAC-10' Submachine Guns Found in Sydney Raids
13 October 2010
Australian Associated Press
A series of police raids in Sydney's west has netted 10 submachine-guns, magazines, silencers, a revolver, ammunition and cash.
Firearms and Organised Crime Squad detectives arrested three people and seized the firearms during an operation targeting the illegal manufacture of prohibited weapons.
They were investigating a syndicate allegedly involved in the making and supply of submachine-guns and other prohibited firearms.
About 8.30pm (AEDT) on Tuesday detectives... (GunPolicy.org)
1,500 Locally Made Guns Destroyed in Latest Ghana Disarmament Push
2 October 2010
Ghana News Agency
The Ghana National Commission on Small Arms on Friday destroyed 1,500 pieces of locally produced fire arms seized from people who possessed them illegally in various parts of the country.
The seizure was as a result of a six-week joint exercise organised by the commission and the security agencies as part of efforts to rid the country of illicit firearms and ammunition.
This brings to 3,387 the number of illicit small arms destroyed by the commission in the country... (GunPolicy.org)
Home Made, US-imported Guns Seized from Traffickers in Mumbai
18 September 2010
Daily News & Analysis (India)
The Kurla police on Friday arrested two people who were on their way to deliver a small arms consignment including loaded US-made and country-made revolvers to some unidentified persons at Chita Camp in Trombay.
"Fahim Ahmed Dalwai, 30, a resident of Chita Camp, and Tilakchand Sawant, 30, a resident of Neral in Karjat, were arrested for possessing the lethal arms. They were remanded to police custody till September 21 by the additional chief metropolitan magistrate's... (GunPolicy.org)
No Gun Culture, But Indonesia At Risk from Illegal Firearms, Gun Violence
6 September 2010
International Crisis Group (Brussels), Media release
JAKARTA/BRUSSELS -- The Indonesian government could reduce the circulation of illegal firearms by improving procedures for guarding and monitoring police and military armouries, conducting regular audits of gun importers and enforcing controls over the "airsoft" industry.
Illicit arms in Indonesia, the latest briefing from the International Crisis Group, examines four sources of illegal guns in Indonesia: theft or illegal purchase from the security forces, leftover... (GunPolicy.org)
Licensed Canadian 'Gun Lover' Pleads Guilty to Making Machine Guns
3 September 2010
Telegram (Newfoundland)
With homemade, automatic weapons in front of him, Const. Chris Young doesn't understate the potential danger.
"These things can be devastating in the wrong hands," the RCMP officer says.
The firearms on the table include a .22-calibre rifle and an AK-M (AK-47) rifle that were turned into automatic weapons.
Also laid out are a 1911-style pistol and a German submachine-gun. Both were handcrafted.
All four weapons are the handiwork of Jason Patrick Loder, who even... (GunPolicy.org)
Nevada Anti-government Extremist Gets 18mths for Illegal Machine Gun
25 August 2010
Associated Press
LAS VEGAS — A Las Vegas anti-government extremist has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for possession of an unregistered machine gun.
Federal prosecutors say Harold Call was sentenced Tuesday, despite the 68-year-old's attempt to withdraw his plea and fire his lawyer.
Call is one of four anti-government, anti-tax-movement followers arrested in 2009 after a three-year FBI investigation into a group who believed they were separate from the United States. Agents... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Court Mulls Fate of 'Avid Gun Lover' Who Made Machine Guns
24 August 2010
Telegram (Canada)
An avid gun lover, who says he made automatic weapons because it was the only way to collect them, will have to wait for his punishment on multiple firearms-related charges.
Sentencing for Jason Patrick Loder, 26, was scheduled to take place after the facts of his case were heard at provincial court in St. John's Monday afternoon.
However, due to trouble getting a photo presentation to work, there wasn't enough time for Crown prosecutor Dana Sullivan to question... (GunPolicy.org)
Assault Rifles, Submachine Guns Seized in Bulgarian Police Raids
11 August 2010
Sofia Echo (Bulgaria)
Another high profile police operation, codenamed The Armourers, was carried out overnight on August 11 2010, Bulgarian media reported.
According to Interior Ministry reports, police raids are not restricted only to Sofia but are throughout the country, in Bulgaria's second biggest city of Plovdiv, as well as Kazanluk and Gradina village. The operation is still ongoing, media sources said.
Three persons were arrested during the operation: According to Focus news... (GunPolicy.org)
Licensed Firearm Dealers Charged in Interstate US Machine Gun Scam
7 August 2010
Maryland Gazette
The owner of a Annapolis gun shop is one of six men named in a 107-count indictment filed in federal court in Phoenix, Ariz., last week.
Hal Goldstein, owner of The Armory, at 24 Defense St., off West Street at Solomons Island Road, along with Randoph Benjamin Rodman, owner of Silver Spring-based R&S Arms, and four Arizona men were charged with conspiring to commit fraud to possess and transfer machine guns in violation of the National Firearms Act, according to the... (GunPolicy.org)
New Jersey Gun Owner Converts Assault Rifles to Machine Guns, Gets 5yrs
28 June 2010
Star-Ledger (New Jersey)
PARSIPPANY — A Parsippany man was sentenced today to five years in state prison for unlawfully possessing two machine guns.
Adam Coughlan, 29, was arrested May 21, 2009 after a raid of his Lake Hiawatha home turned up more than 40 firearms and ammunition. Authorities said he was converting weapons into illegal assault weapons, and was captured on electronic surveillance arranging to sell an AK-47 automatic firearm at a Quick Chek in Parsippany.
Coughlan faced a pair... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Raid UK Home-made Gun Factory, Seize More Than 50 Firearms
10 June 2010
Ashington Journal (UK)
Police have seized more than 50 firearms after raiding a suspected homemade gun factory.
Armed officers stormed the flat in Northumberland after a tip-off.
An arsenal of weapons was recovered from the property in North Seaton, Ashington.
Gary Ray appeared before South East Northumberland Magistrates charged with converting an imitation firearm, and possession, purchase or sale of a prohibited weapon.
The 51-year-old was remanded in custody.
Pensioner Joan Ward,... (GunPolicy.org)
Road Worker Shot as 'Home Made Pistol' Unearthed in South Australia
4 May 2010
Advertiser (Adelaide)
Police are conducting forensic tests on a home-made pistol that went off and accidentally shot a road worker near Gumeracha in the Adelaide Hills.
In a bizarre chain of events, two road workers unearthed a pillow case with a heavy object inside as they dug holes for safety barriers alongside the Gumeracha to Birdwood Rd about 10.30am.
The men then took the package to their truck and, as one unwrapped it, the semi-automatic pistol inside discharged, leaving his... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Control 'Absurd Policy,' No Effect on Crime Gun Use in Bangladesh
3 May 2010
Financial Express (Dhaka), Opinion
Past governments of the country were noted a number of times for ordering the deposition of all legally owned firearms with the police or the offices of the district commissioners (DCs) in their bids to control the crime rate. But every time such orders were issued, the same created a great deal of hassle and loss to the legal wielders of firearms. For, it was a short-sighted view in the first place that firearms owners with valid licenses had descended to the level of... (GunPolicy.org)
Arkansas Councilman Pleads Guilty to Possession of Illegal Machine Gun
31 March 2010
Associated Press
LITTLE ROCK — An east Arkansas city councilman pleaded guilty Tuesday to illegally possessing an unregistered machine gun, telling a federal judge that he had the weapon because he was working on it for the local police department.
John Henry Parker pleaded guilty to one count of illegally possessing a Glock machine gun. As part of a plea deal, federal prosecutors dropped a charge of illegally possessing a Ruger .22-caliber rifle equipped with a silencer.
Parker was... (GunPolicy.org)
Kashmir's Century-old Gun Manufacturing Industry Battling for Survival
21 March 2010
Press Trust of India
SRINAGAR - Kashmir's gun manufacturing industry is battling for survival.
Out of several gun manufacturing factories in Kashmir only two have survived.
Established in the early years of the last century, the factories would manufacture and sell their products - 12 bore Single Barrel and 12 bore Double Barrel rifles - to the foreigners, tourists and locals who had a passion for hunting birds and wild animals.
Almost 100 years later, there is a ban on hunting, a... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Seize 100,000 Rounds of Smuggled Ammunition, Guns in Nigeria
19 March 2010
Daily Champion (Lagos)
UMUAHIA, Nigeria — Detectiveds from Federal Anti Robbery Squad (FARS), Adeniji Adele, Lagos have intercepted truck load of arms and ammunition worth over N12 million.
Also four persons who allegedly imported the ammunition have been arrested. They are being detained by FARS at Adeniji Adele.
Daily Champion gathered that the over 100,000 rounds of ammunition were en route to Onitsha in Anambra State before policemen, acting on a tip off, intercepted a Leyland truck... (GunPolicy.org)
Armed Groups Fight with Home Made Guns, AK-47s in Nigeria Gang War
2 March 2010
Daily Independent (Lagos)
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 Commissioner, Emmanuel Dipo Yeni, visited the... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Stop Car, Seize 16 Locally Made Guns, Arrest Driver in Nigeria
20 February 2010
Leadership (Abuja)
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.
The commissioner explained that the... (GunPolicy.org)
Slew of Pro-firearm Bills as Legislators Move to Relax Virginia Gun Laws
16 February 2010
Richmond Times-Dispatch (Virginia)
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 are up for a final vote today.
Del. L. Scott... (GunPolicy.org)
California Man 'Obsessed with Guns' Stole 6 Assault Weapons from Police
10 February 2010
San Francisco Chronicle
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 sentenced him to five years and... (GunPolicy.org)
Cuba Declares Gun Amnesty, Gives Owners 2 Months to Register Firearms
1 February 2010
Associated Press
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 or in a regional barracks when on vacation... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Weapon Factory, 'Remodeled' Handguns Found in Taiwan Village
27 January 2010
China Post (Taiwan)
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 was merely reconstructing weapons for fun... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Industry Lobbies to Popularise, Sell More 'Sporting' Assault Rifles
20 January 2010
ESPN (USA)
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 gaining traction in the shooting sports... (GunPolicy.org)
'Obsessed' Gun Owner Found with 30 Illegal Firearms, Bombs in Yorkshire
15 January 2010
Yorkshire Post (UK)
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 yesterday after pleading guilty to charges... (GunPolicy.org)
British Extremist, Gun Enthusiast Jailed 11yrs for Making Illegal Weapons
15 January 2010
Press Association (UK)
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 that he had "a fascination with things that go... (GunPolicy.org)
Hostile BNP Member Gets 11 Years for Illegal Weapon Cache and Craft
15 January 2010
Guardian (UK)
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 that he had "a fascination with things that go... (GunPolicy.org)
No Right to Bear Unlicensed Machine Guns, Says US Federal Court
30 December 2009
Christian Science Monitor
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 guns for personal use,” said the three-judge... (GunPolicy.org)
Assault Rifle Maker Applauds Bill, Utahns 'Entitled to Any Gun They Want'
19 December 2009
Salt Lake Tribune (Utah)
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, sold and kept within state lines --... (GunPolicy.org)
Alaska Gun Owner Amassed Arsenal, Planned 'Something,' Now Faces Life
18 December 2009
Anchorage Daily News (Alaska)
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.
Investigators say to avoid... (GunPolicy.org)
Nebraska Man Gets 8mths for Firing Illegal, Home-made Machine Guns
16 December 2009
Associated Press
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 a federal court in Lincoln.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
Mayor Orders Tighter Gun Control, Seizure of Weapons in Quezon City
11 December 2009
Philippine Daily Inquirer
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 and the adjacent areas of Commonwealth... (GunPolicy.org)
Sydney Men Charged with Alleged Manufacture of Submachine Guns
11 December 2009
Australian Associated Press
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 a submachine gun, several registered and unregistered... (GunPolicy.org)
4 Illegal 'Gun Factories' Raided, 6 Alleged Gun Runners Charged in Bihar
10 December 2009
Press Trust of India / PTI
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 and wanted by the Jharkhand police in connection... (GunPolicy.org)
Army Destroys Seized, Home-made Guns in Philippine Ceremony
7 December 2009
Iloilo News (Philippines)
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,” were recovered by government... (GunPolicy.org)
Home-made Pistols Seized, Gun Dealers Charged in Surendranagar
21 November 2009
Times of India
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 an arms deal scheduled to be... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Culture, Illegal Firearm Industry Booming in Trigger-happy Delhi
8 November 2009
Times Of India / TNN
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 out a gun to clear a traffic... (GunPolicy.org)
Politicians Said Trafficking in Illegal Guns, Bangladeshi Woman Arrested
8 November 2009
New Nation (Dhaka), Editorial
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 workshops or smuggled from across... (GunPolicy.org)
Former UK Army Sergeant Made Guns for Gangs, Jailed 'Indefinitely'
7 November 2009
Telegraph (UK)
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 in Bardfield Saling, Essex and his weapons... (GunPolicy.org)
Arrested Indian Gun Runners Admit to Selling Home-made Firearms
5 November 2009
Times of India / Sandesh
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 Singh in Dhar district of Madhya... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Registries to Be Installed Nationwide by Ghana Police
4 November 2009
Daily Graphic (Ghana)
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, John Evans Atta Mills, who made this known,... (GunPolicy.org)
California 'Gun Collector' Gets Prison Term for Illegal Machine Gun Sales
30 October 2009
Contra Costa Times (California)
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 into machine guns for a government... (GunPolicy.org)
Child Pornographer Allegedly Making Illegal .50cal Rifles, Machine Guns
28 October 2009
Nevada Appeal
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 and a machine gun.
About 8 a.m.... (GunPolicy.org)
Homemade Gun Sales Flourish As Ghanaian Blacksmiths Meet Demand
23 October 2009
IRIN (UN News)
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.
Sarpong sells to clients using a gun-runner... (GunPolicy.org)
Tougher Gun Sentence Upheld, 'Assassins' Armourer' Jailed 11yrs in UK
7 October 2009
BBC News
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 expect longer jail terms.
Lord Judge's ruling came... (GunPolicy.org)
DNA Found on Crime Guns Links More Killings to UK Weapon Maker
26 September 2009
Birmingham Mail (UK)
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 that led to the murder of innocent... (GunPolicy.org)
Blacksmiths Urge Ghana to Legalise Gun Making, Control Bush Industry
26 September 2009
Ghana Broadcasting Corporation / Daily Graphic
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 alternative that the state could provide... (GunPolicy.org)
Machine Guns, AK-47s in 'Arsenal' Seized from Santa Barbara Homes
22 September 2009
Daily Sound (California)
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.
"It really goes to show you we... (GunPolicy.org)
Former Soldier, 'Dealer in Death' Made Guns for Use in British Crimes
21 September 2009
BBC News
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, Essex. Forensic tests on the guns linked them to 28... (GunPolicy.org)
Traffickers Arrested Selling Handguns Made Illegally in Uttar Pradesh
13 September 2009
Hindu (India)
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 presspersons at his office here on Sunday,... (GunPolicy.org)
Gunmaker to Liverpool Underworld, Torch Gun Maker Jailed for 20 Years
12 September 2009
Times (UK)
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 of the sentence which, they say, will... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Sting Cracks Alleged Australian Gun Trafficking Ring
27 August 2009
Illawarra Mercury (New South Wales)
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.
During the investigation police... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Gun Manufacturing, Arms Trafficking Prompts Debate in Bangalore
27 August 2009
Deccan Herald
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 a directive from the Union Home... (GunPolicy.org)
