Gun Policy News
Gun makers and the international small arms trade
United States,Mexico
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)
Read More: InSight Crime (Bogota)
35789
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)
Read More: Nation (Nigeria)
35782
Uganda
Gun Free Zones, Gun Owner Testing Proposed for New Law in Uganda
30 January 2012
Monitor (Kampala)
In its efforts to curb the abundance and abuse of small and light weapons, the government has launched a new policy on firearms and ammunition.
The policy calls for a new legal regime to oversee the acquisition, use and storage of firearms.
The policy was unveiled last week by the Uganda National Focal Point on Small Arms and Light Weapons, a department in the Ministry of Internal Affairs that was created in 2003 to handle cases of illicit small arms.
The policy... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Monitor (Kampala)
35779
United States,Australia
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)
Read More: Daily Telegraph (Sydney)
35785
Brazil
Brazil: 4.3 Million Guns Sold in 5yrs, 40,000 Gun Deaths in 2009 [Portugues]
27 January 2012
Publica (Brazil)
[Translated summary: domestic manufacturers alone sold 4.3 million guns in Brazil over the past five years. Nearly 40,000 people died in 2009 in episodes involving firearms, including homicides, suicides and accidents, according to latest figures provided by the Ministry of Health. A study by Pablo Dreyfuss, who was a leading expert on the subject, showed that 90% of these deaths are the result of crimes and the risk of dying from injuries caused by firearms in Brazil... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Publica (Brazil)
35796
Brazil
Brazil, the Worlds' 4th Largest Arms Manufacturer and Exporter [Portugues]
27 January 2012
Publica (Brazil)
[Tanslated summary: Brazil, fourth largest exporter in small arms and around 4,5 million arms exported in the past five years.]
De maneira pouco transparente, governo incentiva crescimento da indústria. Ênfase é nas armas leves: Brasil é 4º maior exportador mundial. Levantamento inédito do Exército revela que nos últimos 5 anos, exportamos 4,5 milhões de armas.
Uma pequena lata metálica, arranhada e atirada ao chão, gerou o primeiro vexame diplomático... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Publica (Brazil)
35795
Madagascar,Guinea,Ghana,Botswana,Angola,Algeria,South Africa,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,Russia,Austria,Israel,Germany,Italy,United States,Yemen,Philippines,Pakistan,Sri Lanka,Tunisia,Brazil,Burkina Faso,Egypt,Côte d'Ivoire,Malawi,Mauritania,Morocco,Namibia,Niger,Nigeria,Congo (ROC),Senegal,Tanzania,Uganda,Zambia,Zimbabwe,Argentina,Ecuador,Chile,Honduras,Guatemala,United Arab Emirates,Trinidad & Tobago,Jordan,Dominican Republic,Singapore,Kazakhstan,Liberia,Saudi Arabia,Bosnia & Herzegovina,Congo (DRC),Guyana,Mauritius,Latvia,Oman,Nepal,Somalia,Bolivia,Colombia,Venezuela,Peru,Mexico,Qatar,Kuwait,Indonesia,Malaysia,Thailand
Brazilian Gun Industry Seeks New Markets: Africa and Asia [Portugues]
27 January 2012
Publica (Brazil)
[Translated summary: With the support of the Ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs, Brazilian gun manufacturers seek new markets in countries with a history of human rights violations: Tunisia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Philippines and Yemen. Brazil is among the six countries in the world with annual exports exceeding $ 100 million, according to recent research from Small Arms Survey. According to the Army, responsible for supervising and controlling exports from 2005 to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Publica (Brazil)
35794
Austria,United States
Glock: The Rise of America's Favourite Handgun
27 January 2012
New York Times, Book review
You rarely pull a gun to start a conversation, but when I recently told an in-law that I was writing about Glock pistols, he improvised a research project. Reaching beneath his jacket, he quickly unholstered, unloaded and handed me his Glock 9 millimeter — this was in Kentucky, land of permissive concealed-carry laws. "I always carry this, and I always will," he said before giving me a primer that could have been used in a promotional video for both the pistol and... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
35776
Russia
Russia Touts 20 New Kalashnikov Variants, Holds 17 Million Surplus
25 January 2012
RIA Novosti (Russia)
IZHEVSK - Izhmash, the manufacturer of Kalashnikov AK assault rifles, said its sales were up 57.4 percent last year at 5.73 billion rubles (about $190 million).
Civilian weapon sales rose 25 percent and a similar increase is expected this year, Izhmash press secretary Yelena Filatova said.
Production is to increase 30 percent this year, to 5.1 billion rubles, she added.
In September 2011, Chief of the Russian General Staff Nikolai Makarov said the Defense Ministry... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RIA Novosti (Russia)
35777
Nigeria
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)
Read More: Daily Trust (Abuja)
35748
Thailand
Thailand's Lethal Fascination with Firearms [Espanol]
18 January 2012
ABC News (Spain) / EFE
[Translated summary: According to data from the United Nations, firearms are used in 80% of homicides committed in Thailand, a percentage that is almost hand in hand with nations such as South Africa, Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala, or the United States.]
BANGKOK - La fascinación de los tailandeses por las armas de fuego, de las que hay 15 por cada 100 habitantes, hace que Tailandia sea uno de los países con un mayor promedio de homicidios cometidos por gente propensa... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: ABC News (Spain) / EFE
35746
Brazil,Venezuela
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)
Read More: Venezolana de Televisión (Caracas)
35741
Russia
Russia's Kalashnikov Factory Dumped Assault Rifle Parts in Public Tip
16 January 2012
RIA Novosti (Russia)
IZHEVSK - Police have found functional gun parts at a dumping ground for destroyed Kalashnikov automatic rifles in the Urals republic of Udmurtia, local Interior Minister Alexander Pervukhin said on Monday.
"I regret to report we've discovered many firearms parts and details that can still be used," Pervukhin told the republic's head, Alexander Volkov. He did not elaborate on how the rifle parts ended up as waste.
The local Kalashnikov recycling facility already... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RIA Novosti (Russia)
35737
Russia
Siberian Truck Driver Takes Crates of Army AK-47s, Sells for Firewood
13 January 2012
RIA Novosti (Russia)
MOSCOW - A retiree in the Udmurtia region of the western Urals has alerted police after finding scores of Ak-47 assault rifles in crates he bought for firewood, police said.
The Udmurtian man contacted the police after he found "an object similar to a Kalashnikov assault rifle" in one of the wooden cases, a police source said.
Another 78 rifles and munitions were later found in the crates which the man bought for firewood from a Kamaz truck driver who was supposed to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RIA Novosti (Russia)
35731
United States
Gun Sales Up? It's a Beat-up Story: Real US Industry Figures Suppressed
9 January 2012
Huffington Post (USA)
The media has been awash this holiday season with stories about a "dramatic increase" in gun sales in the United States. CNN, for example, declared, "December holiday shoppers were not just interested in buying the hottest electronics and toys--they also were purchasing record numbers of guns." USA Today claimed, "Along with millions of Kindles, Angry Birds and gift cards, Santa left a record number of guns under Americans' Christmas trees." Reuters gushed about "16.5... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Huffington Post (USA)
35719
India
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)
Read More: Hindustan Times (Delhi)
35709
China,Europe,United States,Thailand
Firearms Only for the Rich: Bangkok Guns 'Like a Louis Vuitton for Guys'
2 January 2012
CNN
If you have an itchy trigger finger while visiting Thailand it may be difficult to purchase a gun, but wealthy foreigners and Thais who live here can now enjoy their weapon of choice thanks to the recent lifting of a ban imposed in Bangkok last year.
Tourists can, however, buy custom-made leather holsters and other accessories at the estimated 80 weapons stores along Burapha Road, just east of the Sala Chalerm Krung Royal Theatre, where the vast majority of Bangkok's... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: CNN
35698
United States
US Gun Lobby Group Raises $200 Million a Year, Aims to Unseat Obama
29 December 2011
Bloomberg (USA)
A toaster that burns the National Rifle Association's logo onto bread fetched $650 at an auction last month, just one reflection of the money-making power in the gun group's brand.
The NRA, which began as a grassroots organization dedicated to teaching marksmanship, enters the 2012 election season as a lobbying, merchandising and marketing machine that brings in more than $200 million a year and intends to help unseat the incumbent president. From 2004 to 2010, the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Bloomberg (USA)
35695
India
Like Pizza, Home Delivery of Illegal Guns 'Just a Phone Call' Away in Indian City
24 December 2011
Times of India
After pizza and grocery deliveries, it is now time for home delivery of weapons. Anyone who is interested in buying illegal weapons - be it a country-made pistol, rifle or shotgun - can get them with just a phone call.
In Jharkhand, the process is easy. Get in touch with the firearm manufacturer, usually based in Bihar, or one of their representatives in Jharkhand. They provide an account number in which the money can be deposited. Once the amount is deposited, the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Times of India
35689
Australia
South Australia Police Admit They Cannot Eradicate Black Market of Illegal Guns
21 December 2011
Advertiser (Adelaide)
Police admit they cannot eradicate a black market that is peddling illegal guns to criminals.
Motorcycle gang members and convicted criminals barred from buying guns in South Australia have no difficulty obtaining illegal firearms - including fully automatic weapons.
These are often used in drive-by shootings, robberies and murders.
Police seized a Soviet-made SKS semi-automatic rifle, a sawn-off .22 calibre rifle and an illegal silencer in raids on 11 suburban... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Advertiser (Adelaide)
35685
United States
Registration, Ballistics Tie Baltimore Police Glock to Murder of 2 Girls
17 December 2011
Baltimore Sun
The wanted poster portrays a .40-caliber Glock Model 22 semiautomatic pistol, serial number EKG463US, that resembles thousands of standard-issue guns owned by the Baltimore Police Department.
But this particular weapon found its way out of the hands of law enforcement and into the hands of a suspected killer — an above-board but nightmarish scenario for city police. Authorities say the gun was used three years ago to shoot two young girls on a dirt road outside a... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Baltimore Sun
35678
Eastern Europe,Belgium
Illegal Firearm Market in Belgium Has a Variety of Sources [Francais]
16 December 2011
La Libre (Brussels)
[Translated summary: The type of weapon used by the Liège mass shooter Nordine Amrani represents a marginal part of arms trafficking. The market for illicit long guns is relatively small as they are not easily concealable. There are two main sources: weapons from Eastern Europe and weapons manufactured in Belgium, like the FAL, apparently used by Amrani.]
Le type d'armes utilisées par Amrani n'est qu'un volet marginal du trafic d'armes.
Comment Nordine Amrani a-t-il... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: La Libre (Brussels)
35676
United States
NYC Mayor Cites 'Rampant' Illegal Internet Gun Sales, Targets CraigsList
14 December 2011
Reuters
NEW YORK - Almost two thirds of a sample of private online gun sellers in the United States were willing to sell a firearm to someone who could not pass a background check, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said on Wednesday.
Bloomberg, who is leading a national campaign against illegal guns, said a national investigation into online gun sales by private investigators hired by New York City uncovered a "vast and largely unregulated market for illegal guns."
The... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Reuters
35666
India
Spurt in Use of Illegal Guns Reported in Vizag, Andhra Pradesh, India
12 December 2011
Times of India
VISAKHAPATNAM - Illegal weapons are finding their way into the city. The firing incident that took place at railway station on Friday evening raised serious questions about the use of guns by criminal gangs. Police sources blamed criminals from other states for the use of illegal fire arms. A person, believed to be a CISF constable was arrested by police on Saturday, in related to Friday's firing incident. They suspect that he and his colleagues were involved in three... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Times of India
35658
United States
US Handgun Production, Imports Double in 4 Years: Women Lead Trend?
11 December 2011
Sydney Morning Herald, Bloomberg (USA)
NEW YORK -- Robin Natanel picks up a compact black pistol, barrel pointed down range. Gripping the gun with both hands, left foot forward, she raises the semi-automatic and methodically squeezes off five shots. The first one creases the left edge of a red bull's-eye on a target 7.5 metres away. The four others paint a 7.5-centimetre pattern around the first. If the target were a person's head or heart, he would probably be dead.
Natanel is a Buddhist, a self-avowed... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Sydney Morning Herald, Bloomberg (USA)
35655
Jamaica,Honduras,Israel,Canada,Norway,Australia,Colombia,El Salvador,United States,Venezuela,Pakistan,Mexico
Armed Societies, Another Tragedy for Women: Mexico, Pakistan, Venezuela
9 December 2011
Inter Press Service News Agency
CARACAS - Kairobis Arcia, 25, died from a bullet to her head shot by her husband, Oswaldo Mendoza, 32, who said he was blinded by jealousy in an argument fuelled by alcohol and drugs.
Her murder was just one of the more than 468,000 homicides a year that occur worldwide, 42 percent of which are committed with firearms. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the global murder rate is 6.9 per 100,000 people – 11.9 per 100,000 among men and... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Inter Press Service News Agency
35654
Guatemala,Mexico,United States
Texas Gun Shop Sold 'Infantry Squad' Weapons to Mexican Cartel Smugglers
8 December 2011
Guardian (UK)
It was nothing more than a routine inspection for federal agents. But as they browsed the records of Carter's Country gun shop in Houston, investigators picked up on a series of big sales. For cash.
Federal agents were alerted not only by the number of guns involved – sometimes a dozen at a time – but the type. Time and again buyers walked out of Carter's Country clutching assault rifles, semi-automatic pistols with armour-piercing bullets and powerful sniper... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Guardian (UK)
35645
Mexico,United States
US Quietly Approves Massive Escalation in Number of Guns Sold to Mexico
6 December 2011
CBS News (USA)
Selling weapons to Mexico - where cartel violence is out of control - is controversial because so many guns fall into the wrong hands due to incompetence and corruption. The Mexican military recently reported nearly 9,000 police weapons "missing."
Yet the U.S. has approved the sale of more guns to Mexico in recent years than ever before through a program called "direct commercial sales." It's a program that some say is worse than the highly-criticized "Fast and... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: CBS News (USA)
35637
Burundi,Uganda,Rwanda,Congo (DRC),Africa
Africa: Six Years On - The UN's International Small Arms Tracing Instrument
5 December 2011
Institute for Security Studies (Tshwane/Pretoria), Report
The ability to trace small arms and light weapons (SALW) is an important step toward transparency and preventing the illicit use of firearms in conflict and crime. December 8th 2011 marks the 6th year since the adoption of the International Tracing Instrument (ITI) by the United Nations General Assembly.
In adopting the ITI, although not legally binding, the UN Member States acknowledged that the instrument would enable them to identify and trace, in a timely and... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Institute for Security Studies (Tshwane/Pretoria)
35627
Canada
Toronto Council to Debate City Ban on Shooting Ranges
1 December 2011
National Post (Toronto)
City council will fight a challenge to its gun bylaw at the Ontario Municipal Board, despite an assertion by the deputy mayor that the decision goes against expert advice.
In 2008, the city enacted a bylaw that restricts the manufacture of guns in the city, and bans any firing range and gun club that is not operated by the government. The Canadian Shooting Sports Association appealed the decision to the Ontario Municipal Board and had floated a "compromise" that would... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: National Post (Toronto)
35611
Belgium
Assault Rifles, Riot Guns, 5 Tonnes of Munitions Seized in Belgium [Francais]
29 November 2011
RTL (Belgique)
[Translated Summary: Hundreds of weapons of war and 5 tonnes of munitions seized from a gunsmith in Ravel, Belgium. The gunsmith infringed many regulations: he opened an un-authorised shooting range, sold weapons of war - banned in Belgium, unsafe storage.]
Des centaines d'armes de guerre et 5 tonnes de munitions ont été saisies chez un armurier de Ravels, dans la province d'Anvers.
Le SEDEE, service de déminage de l'armée, a saisi, vendredi dernier à Ravels,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RTL (Belgique)
35604
Canada
Opposition's Honest Mistake Confirms Canada's Dysfunctional Gun Laws
29 November 2011
National Post (Toronto), Blog
The federal New Democrats have been left scrambling after nearly making an embarrassing mistake in an ad campaign criticizing the federal Tories for scrapping the long-gun registry. The NDP planned to run ads showing the Mini-14 rifle, which would no longer be subject to registration after the end of the long-gun registry. But the graphic showed the wrong variant of the Mini-14 — one that is considered a restricted firearm, and therefore won't be affected by the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: National Post (Toronto)
35596
France
Following Latest Shootings, France to Review Gun Control Law [Francais]
29 November 2011
AFP
[Translated Summary: Following recent shootings in which burglars and robbers used weapons of war against police officers, the French Senate will review a new gun-control bill to reinforce the fight against gun trafficking. Amendments to the Firearms Decree-Law of 1939 will include stricter maximum penalties: prison terms rising from seven years to ten years, and fines rising from 100,000 Euros to 500,000 Euros.]
PARIS — Le Sénat examinera le jeudi 8 décembre, une... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: AFP
35590
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)
Read More: Express Buzz (India)
35629
Venezuela,Peru,Ecuador,Chile,Bolivia,Paraguay,Brazil,Argentina,Mexico,Colombia,Uruguay,United States,North America,South America,Central America,Caribbean
Latin American Governments Target Gun Runners, Countries Making Guns
28 November 2011
United Press International
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay - Latin America's increasingly ambitious Mercosur regional bloc is aiming to focus on small arms suppliers who are seen as being behind the region's endemic and seemingly insurmountable problem of violent crime.
The area's disparate armed groups, guerrillas with political agenda and drug-related gangs have drawn attention from Mercosur's watchdog committees as senior officials explore ways of containing organized crime, rooting out myriad networks... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: United Press International
35594
South America,Central America,Caribbean,Guatemala
Guatemala Commits to Gun Marking in Cooperation Agreement [Espanol]
28 November 2011
EFE News Agency
[Translated Summary: A cooperation agreement with the Organization of American States (OAS) commits Guatemala to mark firearms in order to help prevent illegal gun trafficking in Latin America and the Caribbean. In the first year of the agreement, the General Directorate for Firearms and Munitions Control (DIGECAM) is required to register about 1,500 guns a month.]
Guatemala - Guatemala publicó hoy un acuerdo de cooperación con la Organización de Estados Americanos... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: EFE News Agency
35593
Iraq,Afghanistan,United States
Conspiracists Chatter as Secretive US Company Buys Up Gun, Ammo Makers
26 November 2011
New York Times
SCARBOROUGH, Me. - Lined up in a gun rack beneath mounted deer heads is a Bushmaster Carbon 15, a matte-black semiautomatic rifle that looks as if it belongs to a SWAT team. On another rack rests a Teflon-coated Prairie Panther from DPMS Firearms, a supplier to the United States Border Patrol and security agencies in Iraq. On a third is a Remington 750 Woodsmaster, a popular hunting rifle.
The variety of rifles and shotguns on sale here at Cabela's, the national... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
35581
Egypt
Fearing Armed Violence, Egyptians Steal 80,000 Guns from Police Stations
25 November 2011
IRIN (UN News)
CAIRO - It took Ahmed Fawzi, a College of Islamic Studies graduate, only a few hours after seeing a man robbed and killed by a group of criminals to buy a gun.
"I just did not want to be killed like this innocent man," Fawzi, 26, told IRIN. "My father died years ago and I am responsible for defending my family in the absence of all types of security."
Egyptians are discovering the need to defend themselves, in the wake of the uncertainty and insecurity following the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: IRIN (UN News)
35586
Guatemala,United States,Mexico,Costa Rica,South America,Caribbean,Central America
Gun Trade Drives Soaring Latin American Homicide Rates, say Experts
24 November 2011
AFP
SAN JOSE — Illegal weapons trafficking has turned Latin America into a region of bloodletting in which over 40 percent of the world's homicides take place, experts warned Wednesday.
"Forty-two percent of homicides with a firearm that happen worldwide take place in Latin America, though only 10 percent of the world's population lives here," said Nobel laureate and former president Oscar Arias, citing UN data, at a conference of experts.
Although weapons such as... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: AFP
35583
China
China Arrests Illegal Arms Makers: Guangdong Gun Crime Up 32% per Year
22 November 2011
China Radio International / Xinhua
Police in south China's Guangdong province have dismantled two gun-making dens in the city of Shanwei, local authorities said Tuesday.
Officials with the Guangdong Public Security Department said the raid led to the arrests of six people as well as seizures of seven guns, 107 bullets, a batch of gun parts and gun-making equipment.
Gun-related crime has surged in Guangdong this year, as 1,909 suspects in gun-related crimes were arrested during the first 10 months of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: China Radio International / Xinhua
35565
India
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)
Read More: Times of India
35562
India
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)
Read More: New Delhi Television (India)
35557
China
Thousands of Illegal Guns and Replicas Seized, 84 Arrested in China
17 November 2011
Shanghai Daily (China)
Police in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, have smashed an illegal firearms production and trafficking ring, detaining 84 people and seizing 6,990 guns.
In late March, the discovery of three imitation guns during a routine check at a train station in Kunming put police on the trail of the gun-trading network.
Within four months they had confiscated 1,612 guns capable of firing live ammunition and 5,378 replicas.
On April 21, police found a man... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Shanghai Daily (China)
35549
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)
Read More: Express India
35548
Italy
Scrap Italy's Gun Registry, Risk More Violence, Say Police Unions [Italiano]
15 November 2011
Corriere Adriatico (Ancona)
[Translated summary: The Italian Senate adopted a law suppressing the firearm registry established in 1975, thus reducing gun control restrictions. Police deplore this action, as it risks liberalising the illicit gun trade and increasing the overall level of violence.]
ROMA - L' anagrafe delle armi non c'è più: un articolo introdotto nel maxiemendamento alla legge di stabilità approvato in commissione Bilancio al Senato ha infatti cancellato il Catalogo nazionale... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Corriere Adriatico (Ancona)
35545
Guatemala,El Salvador,Mexico,United States,Honduras,South America,Central America,Caribbean
Latin American Leaders Demand International Action on Arms Trafficking
11 November 2011
InSight Crime (Bogota)
The 2011 Ibero-American Summit, held in Asuncion, Paraguay in October, was criticized for its failures, but leaders used the platform to call attention to the global arms trade and demand international cooperation on more effective measures to fight weapons trafficking and organized crime.
At the close of the summit, the member countries issued a separate and special declaration (available in pdf format here) defining public security as a precondition for economic and... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: InSight Crime (Bogota)
35537
Nigeria
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)
Read More: This Day (Lagos)
35538
Libya,Mexico,Germany
Assault Weapon Bribery Probe: Gun Maker Heckler & Koch Raided Again
10 November 2011
Associated Press
BERLIN — Some 300 police officers searched the headquarters of Heckler & Koch Thursday amid allegations the German arms maker bribed Mexican officials to boost its sales, prosecutors said.
The firm is under investigation on suspicion that it "bribed officials in Mexico using cash payments for several years" in connection with arms deliveries between 2005 and 2010, Stuttgart prosecution spokeswoman Claudia Krauth said.
A spokeswoman for Heckler & Koch GmbH confirmed... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Associated Press
35530
Pakistan
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)
Read More: Central Asia Online (USA)
35515
Ghana
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)
Read More: Ghana News Agency
35502
Ghana
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)
Read More: Ghana News Agency
35498
India,Afghanistan,Iraq,Sierra Leone,South Africa,Saudi Arabia,United States,United Kingdom,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
'The Shadow World', an Incisive Exposé of the ArmsTrade - Book Review
1 November 2011
Telegraph (UK), Book review
If there is one book unlikely to appear on the Christmas reading lists of the former defence secretary Liam Fox and his self-professed adviser Adam Werritty, one suspects that this is it. The sorry case of Dr Fox and the mystery chum-cum-lobbyist amplifies what critics of the defence procurement industry – Feinstein prefers the racier "global arms trade" – have long argued. To put it mildly, and in a nutshell, it is not known for its transparency. Nor, for that... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Telegraph (UK)
35511
Canada
Bill to Kill Canada Long-Gun Registry Delists Sniper Rifles, Semi-Automatics
1 November 2011
Toronto Star (Ontario)
OTTAWA — The powerful Ruger Mini-14 semi-automatic rifle used in the 1989 Montreal massacre and this summer's Norway bloodbath.
Sniper rifles that can pierce light armour from a distance of up to 1.5 kilometres.
Or one that can drop a target two kilometres away.
They are all weapons that will soon be declassified under the Conservatives' bill to kill the long-gun registry and freed from binding controls that now see them listed with the RCMP-run database.
They... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Toronto Star (Ontario)
35492
Papua New Guinea
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)
Read More: Radio New Zealand International (Shortwave)
35484
North Africa,East Africa,Rwanda
Rwanda Government Steps Up War Against Illegal Small Arms
28 October 2011
New Times (Rwanda)
In a bid to implement the international declarations and protocols that call upon states to adopt measures to fight against the proliferation of illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW), Rwanda on Wednesday officially launched its National Action Plan (NAP).
The five-year plan will see national focal points formed, mass mobilisation and campaigns conducted and cross-border cooperation reinforced to effectively control and prevent illegal arms trade in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New Times (Rwanda)
35478
West Africa,Africa,Nigeria
Nigeria Urges International Community to Tackle Proliferation of Illicit Arms
27 October 2011
Africa Report (Jeune Afrique)
Lawrence Olefumi Obisakin, a senior director in Nigeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs told a United Nations General Assembly committee responsible for disarmament and international security that it was time the international community tackled the proliferation of illicit arms.
"We expect no less of a treaty which provides the legal basis for international trade in conventional weapons," he said.
"The government of Nigeria is deeply concerned at the magnitude of human... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Africa Report (Jeune Afrique)
35479
Nepal
Industry, Transfer, Sales of Small Arms Banned in Nepal
27 October 2011
Review Nepal, Media release
KATHMANDU - The Home Ministry has approved the work plan on small arms control.
As per the work plan, the production, transportation and sales and distribution of the small arms will be banned.
The Home Ministry added that all small arms will be brought under the government control and the crimes triggered with small arms curbed.
Joint Spokesperson of the Home Ministry, Ekmani Nepal said the security bodies have been directed to implement the government's October 14,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Review Nepal
35477
Mexico,United States
US Defends Gun Sale Reporting Requirement in Court
26 October 2011
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Gun store owners in southwestern border states argued in federal court Tuesday that the Obama administration cannot require them to report when customers buy multiple high-powered rifles.
The Justice Department responded to a lawsuit seeking to block the two-month-old requirement by asking a judge to uphold its legality, arguing the measure could help stop the flow of guns to Mexican drug cartels. It requires sellers in California, Arizona, New Mexico... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Associated Press
35475
Liberia
Ban on Ownership, Use of Firearms, Ammunition Extended in Liberia
26 October 2011
Heritage (Monrovia)
An Executive Order, reinstituting a total ban on the ownership and use of firearms and ammunitions in Liberia, has been extended. Executive Order No. 34 bans the possession, use, sale or manufacture of firearms, which include all arms of precision such as flintlock guns with unrifled barrels and shotguns. The ban excludes single-barrel guns used solely for hunting, which must, however, be registered with the Ministry of Justice through the Office of the Superintendent... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Heritage (Monrovia)
35469
Canada
Demand Growing in Canada for High-Tech Guns Popularised in Games, Movies
26 October 2011
Vancouver Sun (British Columbia)
Whether it's computers, cars, motorbikes or guns, 28-year-old Greg MacDonald — a self-confessed "tech nerd" — is always looking for the latest and greatest technology.
A Newfoundlander and lover of fine machinery, MacDonald says the rigorous research and development that goes into modern military-grade firearms — known as "black rifles" within shooter circles — is a sort of poetry in motion.
"When I see a firearm, I see engineering, mathematics and physics,"... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Vancouver Sun (British Columbia)
35461
United States,Taiwan
Taiwan Gun Group Joins Global Fight to Keep and Bear Arms
25 October 2011
Taipei Times
The Taiwan Defensive Firearms Association (TDFA) earlier this month became a member of the International Association for the Protection of Civilian Arms Rights (IAPCAR), a global gun rights association working to protect and expand the ability to keep and bear arms around the globe.
In a press release, IAPCAR said the TDFA was joining 16 other groups from nine countries on five continents that represent millions of firearm owners and citizens concerned about civilian... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Taipei Times
35451
Bahamas
Bahamas Police Seized and Marked 361 Illegal Guns So Far
24 October 2011
Nassau Guardian (Bahamas)
National Security Minister Tommy Turnquest said last week that 361 illegal guns have been marked and taken off the streets with the police force's new firearms marking machine. This figure does not include the 18 guns turned in so far under the 30-day gun amnesty, set to expire on November 3.
In 2010 police confiscated 261 weapons.
In his contribution to the debate on the package of anti-crime bills last week Wednesday, Turnquest said that "firearms marking is... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Nassau Guardian (Bahamas)
35455
Sao Tome & Principe,Rwanda,Gabon,Equatorial Guinea,Congo (ROC),Congo (DRC),Chad,Central African Republic,Cameroon,Burundi,Angola,Central Africa,Austria
Regional Efforts to Combat Illicit Arms in Central Africa: Kinshasa Convention - UN
21 October 2011
African Press Organization (APO), Media release
NEW YORK -- The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs and the Permanent Mission of Austria to the United Nations will organize tomorrow a special event entitled "Enhancing Small Arms Control In Central Africa — The Kinshasa Convention" at the Permanent Mission of Austria. This event will promote this new sub-regional instrument to control and fight the illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons in Central Africa.
In September 2011, all eleven... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: African Press Organization (APO)
35443
China,Canada
Airguns Allowed into Canada Easily Converted into Real AK-47, Police Say
20 October 2011
CBC News (Canada)
The RCMP are racing to track down and seize hundreds of replica AK-47 BB guns imported from China that investigators fear can be easily reconfigured into deadly prohibited weapons.
The Mounties launched raids and seizures last week on a number of gun stores in B.C., Ontario, and Quebec. Investigators believe the toys — assembled with authentic parts from the Chinese Type-56 version of the AK-47 semi-automatic assault rifle — can be transformed into weapons with a... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: CBC News (Canada)
35441
European Union,China,Germany,South Korea,Switzerland,Serbia,France,United Kingdom,Syria,Yemen,Bulgaria,Belgium,Libya,Italy,Bahrain,Egypt,United States,Russia,West Asia,North Africa,Finland,Austria,Sudan,North Korea,Spain
Tracing the Middle East Weapons Flow
19 October 2011
al Jazeera
Earlier this year, as mass popular uprisings spread through the Middle East and audiences across the world sat transfixed by images of unarmed citizens confronting iron-fisted security forces in the streets of Arab capitals, powerful governments from Russia to the United States were forced to begin accounting for the weapons they had for decades sold to the very rulers they now found themselves abandoning.
In Egypt and Bahrain, protesters held up tear gas canisters... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: al Jazeera
35436
Germany,France,Czech Republic,Bulgaria,United Kingdom,Belgium,Austria,Yemen,Syria,Libya,Egypt,Bahrain,North America,West Asia,North Africa,Europe,United States,Russia,Italy,Spain
Arab Spring Abuses Show Need for Arms Trade Curb - Amnesty
18 October 2011
Reuters (Africa)
LONDON - Russia, the United States and European countries ignored fears over human rights abuses and sold large numbers of weapons to governments in the Middle East and North Africa in recent years, Amnesty International said in a report on Wednesday.
Rights group Amnesty said the failings showed the need for a meaningful international arms trade treaty to choke off the supply of weapons to countries seen at risk of turning them on their own people.
"The Arab Spring... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Reuters (Africa)
35431
Afghanistan,Australia
Australia Govt Approves $8 Million for Thales to Design New Army Rifle
14 October 2011
Canberra Times (Australia)
The Government has approved $8million for Thales to develop a prototype for a better rifle for the Army.
Defence Materiel Minister Jason Clare said the work would be carried out at Lithgow's Soldier Systems Centre - once known as the Lithgow Small Arms Factory.
The prototype would have better balance, weigh less and include an integrated grenade launcher.
It would retain the Austeyr's most controversial characteristic, its 5.56mm (.223 inch) calibre. The smaller... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Canberra Times (Australia)
35419
Côte d'Ivoire
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)
Read More: Abidjan Net (Côte d'Ivoire)
35411
European Union
New EU Rules to Control Export of Civilian Firearms
13 October 2011
Sofia Echo (Bulgaria)
New rules to control exports of civilian-use firearms, such as sports and hunting weapons, were approved by the European Parliament on October 13 2011.
These rules had already been informally agreed with the European Council, a media statement said.
"The European Parliament wants to guarantee maximum safety, but also to ensure that hunters and sports shooters leaving the EU for a while do not have to go through unnecessary formalities," the statement said.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Sofia Echo (Bulgaria)
35414
Sudan
Only UN Can Offer Sustainable Disarmament of Civilians in South Sudan
12 October 2011
Sudan Tribune (France), Opinion
It's commendable that the government of South Sudan took upon itself the bold initiative ever to address the widespread insecurity in the country through an enforced nationwide disarmament campaign. However, six and a half years in the row the much applauded campaign has paradoxically come to stand as a testimony of the failures after failures incurred under the leadership of this system that never learns from its mistakes.
Firearms make their ways from the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Sudan Tribune (France)
35401
Philippines
Only 2 Guns Should be Allowed, Says Former Chief of Philippines Army
11 October 2011
Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines — Muntinlupa Rep. Rodolfo Biazon called on Tuesday for stricter gun control law after authorities learned that Presidential Political Adviser Ronald Llamas acquired five high-powered firearms to protect himself from death threats.
Biazon, a former chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said that an individual should only be allowed one short and one long firearm at the most to defend his life.
"You have only two hands anyway so why the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Philippine Daily Inquirer
35399
Caribbean,South America,Central America,Trinidad & Tobago
Increase in Trinidad Gun Crimes the Result of Drug-Trafficking, Gangs
11 October 2011
Guardian (Trinidad and Tobago)
National Security Minister Brigadier John Sandy says an increase in gun-related crimes is the result of drug-trafficking and gang violence over the past ten years in T&T. He said because of the country's geographical location T&T faced the direct effects of the illicit drug-trafficking and illegal firearms trades.
"We know full well that firearms remain a major threat to this country. These firearms fuel drug-trafficking and gang violence and other criminal activity."... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Guardian (Trinidad and Tobago)
35394
United States
Gunman Who Killed 4 and Himself in US Used Illegally Altered AK-47
5 October 2011
Las Vegas Review Journal (Nevada)
CARSON CITY - The gunman who killed four people and then himself at a restaurant on Sept. 6 used a Chinese-made version of an AK-47 assault rifle altered into an illegal automatic weapon, the Carson City sheriff's office said Wednesday.
Sheriff Ken Furlong said his deputies and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms were continuing to investigate how the weapon and others ended up in the hands of Eduardo Sencion.
Sencion, 32, of Carson City, fired 60... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Las Vegas Review Journal (Nevada)
35382
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)
Read More: First Post (Mumbai)
35375
Pakistan
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)
Read More: Inter Press Service News Agency
35342
Venezuela,Libya,Russia
Russia Defence Ministry Orders an Update of the Kalashnikov Rifle
28 September 2011
Moscow Times
The Defense Ministry said Tuesday that it has suspended purchases of the legendary Kalashnikov rifle and is expecting the manufacturer, Izhevsk machinery plant, to present it with a new model of the weapon.
Mobilization reserves of Kalashnikov assault rifles, which the Soviet armed forces began using in 1949, are too big, and the ministry is not satisfied with the quality of the current firearms arsenal, General Staff chief Nikolai Makarov said.
The current reserves... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Moscow Times
35334
Africa
Africa Prepares Common Position on Arms Trade
27 September 2011
Afrique en Ligne
Africa prepares common position on arms trade - African experts on Monday began a meeting in Lome on the African Union's strategy on small arms and light weapons to come out with a common position on the treaty on the arms trade.
According to the organizers, the meeting is aimed at reaching the dual goal of adopting a strategic paper on small arms and light weapons and its plan of action, and to work out a common African position on the treaty on the arms trade.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Afrique en Ligne
35329
India
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)
Read More: India Today
35323
Dominican Republic
481 Guns Seized by Police in Dominican Republic [Espanol]
24 September 2011
Listin Diario (Dominican Republic)
[Translated summary: An average of two illegal firearms have been seized per day by the Dominican Republic Police. These guns add to the 481 (pistols, shotguns, rifles and revolvers) seized in the first seven months of this year for illegal possession, crime, or expired licences.]
Un promedio de dos armas de fuego han sido decomisadas cada día en lo que va de septiembre de manos de delincuentes por la Policía Nacional y la Dirección Nacional de Control de Drogas... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Listin Diario (Dominican Republic)
35325
Venezuela,South America,Colombia,Mexico
Venezuela Tries to Stem Violence and Easy Availability of Guns
22 September 2011
InSightCrime.org (Latin America and Caribbean)
Venezuela is altering its gun policy in an effort to stem the alarming level of street violence, but the entrenched nature of gun possession in the country will prove difficult to remedy in the short term.
On June 6, Venezuelan Justice Minister Tareck El Aissami announced the establishment of a commission which is charged with tightening the regulation of arms in the country. Since its creation, the body has enacted a number of reforms, including banning the possession... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: InSightCrime.org (Latin America and Caribbean)
35321
Barbados,United States,Trinidad & Tobago
Electronic Tracing Begins on 102 Seized Guns in Trinidad & Tobago
22 September 2011
Guardian (Trinidad and Tobago)
Electronic tracing has begun on the 102 firearms which were recovered since the state of emergency was implemented on August 21. The electronic tracing system, also known as eTrace, is being conducted by police officers of the Crime and Problem Analysis Branch (CAPA). CAPA previously was known as the Modus Operandi Unit of the Police Service. The eTrace system is a web-based firearm trace request submission system that provides for the electronic exchange of crime gun... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Guardian (Trinidad and Tobago)
35314
India
India: Cartridge Shortage in Open Market for Handgun Licence Holders
20 September 2011
Times of India
VARANASI - For arms licence holders, their revolvers and pistols are proving to be mere show pieces as there is a crisis of cartridges in the open market.
The craze for small firearms like revolvers and pistols has increased in a decade or two. According to the arms section of district magistrate office, there are 14,851 arms licence holders in the district while around 3,300 people are in queue for fresh arms licences. Among the total arms licence holders, about 30%... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Times of India
35298
Pakistan
Computerisation of Firearm Licences in Pakistan: a Right Initiative
18 September 2011
Associated Press of Pakistan
ISLAMABAD - Proliferation of small arms are known to have played a pivotal role in fueling insurgency, terrorism as well as formation of urban gangs and at the same time undermined development initiatives or other moves to bring about peace in the country.Successive regimes kept adopting numerous measures to stop the relentless spread of firearms in society and also launched campaigns in their tenures, but all this went in vain.Today as the already fragile law and... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Associated Press of Pakistan
35291
Nigeria,Bahrain,Saudi Arabia,United Kingdom
UN Estimate: 1 to 3 Million Automatic Guns in Civilian Hands in Nigeria
17 September 2011
Next (Nigeria), Opinion
Arms manufacturers and dealers are delighted when a new conflict breaks out.
Desert Storm was a fantastic business opportunity for arms manufacturers. Every round shot through the barrel of a gun was another "ching-ching" in the cash register.
They are not the only ones that benefit through conflict. The likes of Halliburton rejoice with every airstrike and artillery shell that destroys a building or some part of national infrastructure in a foreign country. Every bit... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Next (Nigeria)
35300
Oceania
Oxfam Praises Pacific Leaders for UN Gun Control Treaty Breakthrough
16 September 2011
Radio New Zealand International (Shortwave)
Lobbyists trying to control the international arms trade say Pacific Islands Forum leaders' commitment to a united voice on the matter is a remarkable achievement.
The leaders have thrown their support behind developing a common position on the International Arms Trade Treaty to be negotiated next year.
An Oxfam spokesman Luke Roughton says the hard work starts now.
"To figure out what they want out of the Arms Trade Treaty, how they want to achieve it, that they... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Radio New Zealand International (Shortwave)
35306
Colombia
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)
Read More: El Paìs (Colombia)
35278
United Kingdom
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)
Read More: London Daily News (UK)
35269
Trinidad & Tobago
Trinidad: 'For Such a Small Country, a Large Number of Illegal Guns'
12 September 2011
Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday
Nine more guns including a high-powered AK 47 assault rifle, have been recovered by the police within the past three days in various exercises in North, Central and West Trinidad from Friday to yesterday. This brings to 88 the number of guns seized since the start of the State of Emergency (SOE) on August 22.
A nitrogen cannister believed to be used in the manufacturing of silencers for firearms was also recovered and seized. A silencer is a component of a firearm used... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday
35258
Sudan
South Sudan Army Begins Civilian Disarmament in Lakes State
10 September 2011
Sudan Tribune (France)
JUBA — The Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) which became the official army of the newly established Republic of South Sudan in July said on Saturday it has begun disarming civilians in Lakes state.
The spokesman of the army said South Sudan's military is responding to an order by Lakes state governor, Chol Tong Mayay, requesting the SPLA in the area peacefully collect all types of weapons from the civilian population.
Governor Mayay's order is a response to a... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Sudan Tribune (France)
35272
Mexico,United States
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)
Read More: Washington Post / AP
35250
United States
Why the US Firearm Industry Secretly Loves Obama: More Gun Sales
5 September 2011
Bloomberg (USA)
Rick Perry's emergence as the front runner for the Republican Presidential nomination would seem like a coup for the gun industry. The Texas governor's enthusiasm for firearms rivals Yosemite Sam's. He has an A+ rating from the Texas State Rifle Association and packs a laser-sighted Ruger pistol when he jogs. Last year, he famously shot a coyote that threatened his dog during a run. To commemorate his act of valor, the manufacturer, Sturm, Ruger & Co., produced a... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Bloomberg (USA)
35247
United States
Gun Ownership Soars Under Obama As 15 Million Americans Undergo Sales Checks
5 September 2011
Daily Mail (UK)
For most gun loving Americans, the election of President Obama brought fears of a clamp down on their hobby.
But shockingly, new statistics show the President may just be the best thing to happen to the U.S. gun industry.
The numbers show that since he took office, gun ownership in America has soared - with FBI requested background checks for new gun licences set to reach 15 million for the first time in their history.
In another sign of America's new found love for... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Daily Mail (UK)
35246
Colombia,Americas,Brazil
One Death by Gunshot Every 15 Minutes in Brazil [Francais]
3 September 2011
Le Nouvel Observateur (France), Blog
[Translated summary: In less than six months, the Military Police of Imperatriz, Brazil, have collected 84 firearms during random investigations. On Average in Brazil, there is one gun death every 15 minutes]
IMPERATRIZ, Maranhão - Il y a des centaines d'armes à feu en circulation rien que dans la région d'Imperatriz. On vient de saisir une douzaine de pistolets et fusils hier et avant-hier dans les rues. Au Brésil il y a un mort par balle toutes les 15 minutes... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Le Nouvel Observateur (France)
35240
United States
Well Over 16,000 Firearms 'Lost' by US Gun Manufacturers Since 2009
2 September 2011
CNN
WASHINGTON -- Thousands of firearms have gone missing from manufacturers' inventories since 2009 "without a record of being legally sold," according to a report released Thursday by a gun control advocacy group.
The report by the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence put the number of missing weapons at 16,485.
"It is shocking that gun makers are so oblivious to public safety that they lose track of thousands of guns every year," Henigan, acting president of the Brady... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: CNN
35235
United States,Canada
Canada Chooses Flabby Furball, US States Go for Guns as State Symbols
19 August 2011
Canada.com, Opinion
Know what I like best about Canada's national symbol, the beaver?
It's not imperial. Not for us the American eagle with its razor talons, the British bulldog with its gobful of teeth or the ballsy Gallic rooster that struts symbolically for France.
Canadians chose a docile rodent with buck teeth, a pot belly and a tail that looks like it was run over by a Zamboni. We could have opted for a ferocious wolf, a majestic moose, a mighty bison or a fearsome polar bear.
We... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Canada.com
35208
Philippines,Indonesia,China
3 Men Charged with Production and Selling of Imitation Guns in China
15 August 2011
China Daily
XIAMEN, Fujian - Three men in East China's Fujian province have been charged with producing and selling imitation guns following a raid on a toy gun factory in Jinjiang city in July.
You Zhixian, a publicity officer with Jinjiang public security bureau, said the three suspects surnamed Huang, Ge and Chen had been arrested on suspicion of producing and selling imitation guns that could cause injury.
"More than 10,000 imitation firearms were discovered in the factory,"... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: China Daily
35189
Russia,United States,European Union,Belgium,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,Burundi
Development, Security Require a World Without Small Arms [Francais]
9 August 2011
Pax Christi Wallonie Bruxelles (Brussels)
[Translated summary: In Burundi, the authorities spend each year an average of 5 dollars per person for health care. Each gun injury costs 163 dollars to the health care system. Three quarters of the global budget for health care is thus spent on these injuries!]
Au Burundi, les autorités consacrent en moyenne 5 dollars par habitant aux soins de santé chaque année. Chaque blessure causée par une arme à feu coûte 163 dollars au système des soins de santé. Trois... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Pax Christi Wallonie Bruxelles (Brussels)
35176
Ghana
Ghana's Border Agents Urged To Be Vigilant To Stem Gun Smuggling
9 August 2011
Ghana News Agency
ELMINA - The National Commission on Small Arms (NCSA) had urged security personnel at Ghana's borders to be vigilant and help stem the proliferation and trafficking of small arms and light weapons into the country.
Mr Jones Applerh, Acting Executive Secretary of the NCSA, who made the call, described as worrying the fact that some 66 percent of illicit arms that found their way into Ghana were trafficked along its borders and urged the Commission and its partners... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Ghana News Agency
35174
Australia
Canberra Black Market Fed by Theft of Legal Guns, But Scope is Unknown
8 August 2011
Canberra Times (Australia)
The theft of legal guns is feeding Canberra's black market for firearms as authorities struggle to comprehend the scope of the illegal weapons trade in the territory.
ACT Policing has told The Canberra Times that a black market for guns exists in Canberra, but says its size is unknown.
Estimates put the number of illegal guns in Australia at between 400,000 and 700,000, compared to 2,675,785 licensed firearms.
Experts believe most black market guns have been stolen,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Canberra Times (Australia)
35171
Guatemala,El Salvador,Central America,Mexico,United States
US Gun Lobby, Congress Hamper, Slow Work of Feds' Gun Tracing Centre
5 August 2011
Houston Chronicle (Texas)
MARTINSBURG, West Virginia — No signs mark the outside of the hidden 1960s-vintage government facility in the bucolic countryside of West Virginia's panhandle.
Even the parking lot is obscured by black tarps lining a cyclone fence.
But just inside the warehouse-like brick building is the National Tracing Center, the epicenter of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' effort to combat and control illegal gun use.
When police need to trace a... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Houston Chronicle (Texas)
35166
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