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Dominica Man Jailed for Smuggling Guns from US to Virgin Islands
15 May 2013
CBS News (USA) / Associated Press
HOUSTON — A man with ties to the Caribbean has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for sending guns bought in Texas to the U.S. Virgin Islands.
A federal judge in Houston on Wednesday sentenced 22-year-old Tyrone Reid. Investigators say Reid is a citizen of Dominica who's been living in Houston.
A jury in February convicted Reid of a conspiracy-related firearms count and two charges of making false statements to a firearms dealer.
Prosecutors say Reid was... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Arms Flowing into Bangladesh at 'Alarming' Rate
15 May 2013
Dhaka Tribune
The illegal arms trade has gone up alarmingly recently in the wake of ongoing pre-election political turmoil and triggered by high demands from local criminals and terrorists, intelligence departments of law enforcement agencies have reported.
Intelligence sources said arms are being smuggled into the country through at least 20 different points along the border, mostly from India.
According to sources, syndicates smuggle arms across the border taking advantage of... (GunPolicy.org)
Norwegian Police Warn of Rise in Armed Gang Violence
14 May 2013
Views And News From Norway
As Norway moves into summer, gang-related violence is on the rise in the capital. Tension is so high between Oslo's rival gangs, police warn, that armed battles can break out at any time.
Police worry that Oslo's gang culture has become more widespread and more complex. Newspaper Aftenposten reported on Tuesday that gang battles motivated by revenge, territory and drug-related profits are on the increase.
Weapon seizures
Police confiscated a total of 22 firearms... (GunPolicy.org)
86 Modified Replica Guns Seized from Japanese Businessman
14 May 2013
Japan Daily Press
The chairman of a food company in Kumamoto was arrested by police after it was discovered he was hiding 86 modified guns in his possession. 73 year old Motoo Kira was arrested on Monday for concealing these guns, as well as 62 bullets, in a storage facility.
Investigators believe that the guns were modified by Kira using his own tools. After testing the weapons, the authorities conclude that all of these guns were lethal. The police were also able to seize a handmade... (GunPolicy.org)
Technology Helping Canadian Police Dig Up Firearm History
13 May 2013
CBC News (Canada)
Advanced technology is helping Toronto police learn more about the history of the guns they seize from city streets, but wary criminals are paying attention and taking steps to thwart that process.
Police say that when they retrieve bullets, fragments or shell casings from crime scenes, investigators can tell if they have come from a firearm that they have seen before. They do this using the Integrated Ballistics Identification System, a Canadian-designed technology... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Report Shows 80 Percent of Guns Unregistered in Turkey
11 May 2013
World Bulletin (Istanbul)
A report recently drafted by the National Police Department's Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime Department shows that almost 80 percent of guns that police seized from individuals in incidents threatening public security from 2010-2012 were unregistered.
According to the report, the types of firearms confiscated in police operations over the course of past five years were manufactured guns (51 percent), handmade guns (33 percent), blank guns turned into real guns (16... (GunPolicy.org)
Kenya Authorities Plan Crackdown on Illegal Guns
10 May 2013
Star (Kenya)
Western PC James Serian has said the regional security team is profiling people with illegal arms. "There are illegal firearms in Western particularly in Mt Elgon, Malaba, Teso, Busia, along the Kenya and even Kakamega. Currently we are profiling all persons we suspect have fire arms," said Serian.
He said the provincial security team will start an operation to recover all guns in wrong hands in the area. Serian said the porous Kenya-Uganda border could be blamed for... (GunPolicy.org)
Turkey Plans Ban on Guns at Bars and Cafes, Safety Training for Owners
9 May 2013
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
According to a new regulation, people carrying guns will not be allowed as a security measure to enter entertainment venues such as bars, cafés, night clubs and places where wedding ceremonies are held, Interior Minister Muammer Güler announced on Wednesday.
Under the regulation, Güler told reporters, people who want to buy guns will receive training on how to use them safely. Moreover, those carrying weapons will be denied entrance to entertainment venues such as... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Confirm 1 Million Illegal Guns in Nigeria
9 May 2013
Daily Newswatch (Nigeria)
Against the backdrop of mounting security challenges in Nigeria arising from the Boko Haram insurgency and ethno-religious crisis in the north as well as armed robbery and kidnapping in the south, it has been estimated that there are about one million illegally held guns in the country in civilian hands. The market price for most popular of them all, the AK-47 pattern of assault weapon, goes for $180 (about N27,000). While the total number of guns in the hands of... (GunPolicy.org)
What is Gun Control Like in Ecuador?
8 May 2013
El Telégrafo
Most guns used by citizens Ecuador are still handmade.
Manufacturing guns in Ecuador has been illegal since Feb. 2012. However, most private security companies are still arming their guards with locally-made weapons acquired before February 2012.
In recent years, efforts to register and decommission guns that don't meet safety standards have increased. Last year, in most populated province Guayas, 9,958 guns were registered. In Pichincha in 2012: 9,145 guns. In... (GunPolicy.org)
13 People Shot Dead Each Day in India says NGO
6 May 2013
Post Noon (Hyderabad)
Hardly any noise is made in India about increasing use of firearms among civilians and related violence. We tend to think that it is an issue that needs to be tackled in places like the United States, perhaps because of recurring incidents of mass murders. But not here, in the land of the non-violent freedom movement, we say. However, with a staggering 40 million civilians owning guns, second only to the United States, discourses, questions and debates on the topic... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Govt Budgets to Seize Rifles Easily Converted to Automatic
1 May 2013
Global News (Canada)
Six years after approving German-made rifles that can be converted to machine guns "in minutes" – guns that by law should have been prohibited to begin with – the federal government will spend up to $260,000 buying them from their owners.
In February 2007, the RCMP classified the SSD BD38, a semi-automatic replica of a German Second World War-era sub-machine gun, as a 'restricted' firearm, meaning that it had the same legal status as a handgun. That classification... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Man Jailed After Flouting Lifetime Weapons Ban for Third Time
30 April 2013
Metro Canada
A Vancouver criminal who had already received two lifetime weapons bans was caught again with three illegal guns.
Police executed a search warrant on June 20 last year on a home where Victor Sharma lived with his late mother.
Police found a fairly large marijuana grow-op of 659 marijuana plants, worth an estimated $220,000, and a hydroelectric bypass.
Officers also found an illegal Ruger semi-automatic pistol with 13 live rounds loaded in a clip. The gun had its... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Seize Over 4,000 Weapons in Angola
30 April 2013
Angola Press Agency (Luanda)
CAXITO — At least 4,483 fire-arms, among which 3,333 AKM, were collected in the northen Bengo province in the last six years, as part of the disarmament process of citizens illegally owning weapons.
According to a weekly assessment from the National Police in Bengo sent to Angop on Monday, the collection includes 23,472 ammunitions, 1,390 magazines, 340 explosive devices and 26 grenades.
The statement informs that during last week the police recorded a compulsory... (GunPolicy.org)
45 Weapons Seized in Anti-Poaching Operation in Cameroon [Français]
29 April 2013
Cameroon Tribune / Camer (Belgium)
[Translated summary: 20 poachers were arrested and 45 firearms seized after an operation in south east Cameroon, while two people were injured. Officials are concerned about the effects of poaching on wildlife and the proliferation of weapons.]
20 braconniers arrêtés et 45 armes à feu saisies à l'EstC'est le bilan de l'opération conduite le ministère des Forêts et de la Faune du 15 au 26 avril.
Le bilan de l'opération coup de poing organisée par le Ministère... (GunPolicy.org)
Banned Handguns, Rifles with No Crime Links Found in Canadian Home
29 April 2013
CTV News (Toronto)
The London police drugs and guns unit seized over $5,000 worth of drugs, nine handguns and three assault rifles from a residence on William Street.
Police executed a search warrant at the London residence on Friday around 10 p.m.
Officers also found hundreds of rounds of ammunition and over $13,000 in cash.
Following a press conference on Monday afternoon, police released a list of all the firearms that were seized:
- Smith and Wesson .45 Calibre semi-automatic... (GunPolicy.org)
Special Police Division Created in Peru to Combat Gun Crime [Español]
28 April 2013
RPP News (Peru)
[Translated summary: A new police division will be established to combat gun smuggling and the illegal gun market in Peru. A ballistics information system will record information about guns to identify those used in crimes. Around 150,000 guns in Peru are not registered and a long-barrelled Parabellum gun costs around $700 on the balck market.]
Una división especial que estará encargada de investigar los delitos de tráfico ilícito de armas de fuego, municiones y... (GunPolicy.org)
Record Number of Firearms Seized from Motorcycle Gangs in Finland
25 April 2013
YLE (Finland)
The number of firearms seized by police from motorcycle gangs classed as criminal groups has risen sharply over the past few years. A decade ago, police on average confiscated only a few dozen guns annually from motorcycle gangs. Since 2010, more than 400 have been seized, nearly 250 of which are handguns.
"The weapons seized include pistols, revolvers, a few shotguns and ten sub-machine guns. Ammunition has also been confiscated. Some of the guns had been made... (GunPolicy.org)
4,000 Air Guns Seized in Hong Kong, Cops Allege Illegal Modifications
25 April 2013
South China Morning Post (Hong Kong)
Police have arrested 12 people and seized a quantity of air guns suspected of being illegally modified on Wednesday as part of a crackdown on illegal firearms and ammunition in Hong Kong.
Officers seized 40 air guns from a shop at 224 Wan Chai Road and then raided a warehouse in Chai Wai, where they found and seized almost 4,000 more air guns.
The power of approximately 400 of the guns seized were suspected of having modified to exceed the Hong Kong legal limit of 2... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Soldier Faces Charges After Gun Smuggling Investigation
23 April 2013
CBC News (Canada)
An investigation into an international weapons smuggling operation has led police to raid an Ontario army base and lay more than 30 charges against a Quebec soldier.
Ontario provincial police say the raids conducted at CFB Borden and several locations in Quebec netted hundreds of firearms, gun enhancements and parts, including silencers and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
They say officers also seized documents related to the production of prohibited firearms parts... (GunPolicy.org)
Antigua Gets Equipment to Destroy Surplus, Crime Guns
23 April 2013
Caribarena Antigua
ANTIGUA ST JOHN'S - Minister of National Security and labour Dr. Errol Cort issued a stern warning to persons in possession of illegal firearms and ammunition.
Cort made the threat on Monday as he addressed law men during a hand-over ceremony where representatives from the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace delivered two vital pieces of equipment over to the police.
The equipment, hydraulic shears and a burning tank, both integral in the reduction of illegal... (GunPolicy.org)
Concerns Grow Over Korean Gun Violence
21 April 2013
Korea Herald
Calls for more stringent regulations on guns are mounting in the wake of four shooting incidents within a month in a nation that many believed to be free from the dangers of firearms.
On Tuesday, a 42-year-old man shot a 38-year-old man who had an affair with his wife with an air gun in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province. He had held the weapon for years to fend off wild animals.
The three other cases involved unauthorized guns. On the previous day, a man in his 30s... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Pipeline: Mules Pay High Price for Smuggling on Canada Border
19 April 2013
Toronto Star (Ontario)
Chantelle Batte didn't know she had successfully smuggled a small arsenal of guns, including a machine gun with a silencer, into Canada until police showed up at her door and arrested her days later.
Batte, a single mom from Sarnia, is just one of the many people used to mule guns across the border each year.
An ongoing Star investigation reveals that border officers seize few of the guns destined for the criminal market in Toronto and across Ontario.
Today, we look... (GunPolicy.org)
Officials say US Gun Checks Would Stop Illegal Guns Getting to Bahamas
18 April 2013
Tribune (Bahamas)
Officials in the Bahamas had hoped that the now failed proposed measure to expand gun background checks in the United States would have assisted law enforcement here to stem the tide of illegal firearms into the country.
Attorney General Allyson Maynard-Gibson, speaking to reporters yesterday, said any legislation that would have made it more difficult to traffic in firearms would have had a significant impact in the Bahamas.
"Very early on in our administration, the... (GunPolicy.org)
Indonesia Police Say Most Armed Robbers Use Homemade Guns
17 April 2013
Jakarta Post
JAKARTA - The police revealed on Tuesday that most guns used in armed robberies were homemade.
City police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto said that 98 percent of the guns confiscated from robbery suspects were homemade and that most of them were made by air rifle makers.
"We are now tracing the air rifle makers who produce the homemade guns used in crimes," he said.
He added that the police had confiscated evidence such as raw materials for guns from an air rifle... (GunPolicy.org)
Russia Govt Passes New Law to Crack Down on Shootings in Public
17 April 2013
RIA Novosti (Russia)
MOSCOW - Russia's lower house of parliament, the State Duma, on Wednesday adopted in the first reading a bill toughening punishment for shooting in public places.
The amendments to the Russian Administrative Offenses Code were proposed by a group of Duma deputies. In line with the draft law, those shooting in inhabited localities and at sites where shooting is not allowed will be fined 50,000 rubles ($1,575), their weapons license suspended, weapons seized, and may... (GunPolicy.org)
Nepal Police Concerned Over Rise in Illegal Guns, Crime in Valley
17 April 2013
Himalayan Times (Kathmandu)
KATHMANDU - Metropolitan Police Circle, Balaju, raided a rented house at Mitranagar, and rounded up four crime suspects with a cache of illegal weapons yesterday.
Acting on intelligence input, an MPC team backed by local armed police had cordoned off the house late at night before carrying out a thorough search in all rooms.
Officials informed that Yam Bahadur Thapa, 23, of Gorkha, his sister-in-law Alisha Gurung, 20, of Gorkha, Pankaj Malla, 19, of Banke and Rudra... (GunPolicy.org)
Algeria Authorities Intercept Arms Being Smuggled to Mali
16 April 2013
Magharebia (USA)
Algerian security forces on Saturday (April 13th) intercepted an arms shipment from Libya to terrorists in northern Mali.
Special Forces eliminated five terrorists during the operation. They reportedly belonged to al-Qaeda splinter group Movement for Tawhid and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO) and were in charge of protecting the arms shipment.
Wakt El Djazair quoted a security source as saying that a counter-terrorism military unit, supported by two helicopters, was able... (GunPolicy.org)
Bermuda Govt Announces Gun Amnesty, Buyback to Cut Crime
15 April 2013
Global Post (Boston) / CANA News
Public Safety Minister Michael Dunkley has announced that a cash for guns scheme is to be introduced next month in a fresh attack on violent crime in Bermuda.
The programme, run jointly with the independent Crime Stoppers group, will see cash rewards for information leading to the recovery of firearms or the arrest and prosecution of offenders.
Dunkley said an advertising blitz for the scheme will kick off this month after emphasising the independence and... (GunPolicy.org)
Argentine Citizens Can Object to Gun Access in New Initiative [Español]
14 April 2013
Diario El Argentino (Argentina)
[Translated summary: Argentina has introduced a new procedure to allow citizens to object to others' access to firearms, based on solid reasons. Authorities say a voluntary disarmament campaign, under law 26 216, has also reduced the availability of guns.]
Rige en el país el denominado Procedimiento de Participación Ciudadana por Oposición para la Autorización de Tenencia o Portación de Armas de Fuego.
El procedimiento permite a cualquier ciudadano la posibilidad... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns of 15,000 Abusive Men Seized in Turkey
14 April 2013
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
Family and Social Policy Minister Fatma Şahin has announced that the weapons of 15,000 men found to have been involved in violence against women have been confiscated as a protective measure since the Law on the Prevention of Violence against Women came into effect 13 months ago.
Speaking to the Akşam daily during her visit to Helsinki, Şahin provided some details about the implementation of Law No. 6284 on the Prevention of Violence against Women and the Protection... (GunPolicy.org)
German Police Seize Weapons from Rappers Posing on Street
13 April 2013
Croatian Times
A group of gangsta rappers posing with machine guns as they filmed a music video were arrested by a police SWAT squad in Germany after terrified passers by mistook them for the real thing.
The 12 musicians - wearing face masks and brandishing firearms - were surrounded by 25 heavily armed police commandos in Munich and detained in a special anti-terrorist cell block.
Police later put the group's terrifying arsenal of machine guns, pistols, assault rifles, knives and... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Gun Sent Through Mail in Canada Leads to Arrests
11 April 2013
CBC News (Canada)
RCMP and Canada Border Services Agency have intercepted a prohibited firearm that was being sent to someone in northern B.C. through the mail.
In late March, the CBSA found the gun in Canada Post mail destined for Dawson Creek, located in northeastern B.C.
Working with Canada Post, police tracked the alleged recipients of the package and arrested two Dawson Creek men, aged 31 and 40, who are both well-known to police.
Both men are facing charges of importation of a... (GunPolicy.org)
Tanzania Police Seize Assault Weapon, Pistols
10 April 2013
Citizen (Dar es Salaam)
DAR ES SALAAM - Police in the city have recovered three guns and 33 bullets from different locations. The weapons were reportedly to be used by suspected bandits in commiting robberies.
The firearms were recovered in a special round up carried out by police after receiving intelligence information from citizens, according to Dar es Salaam Special Zone Police Commander, Mr Suleiman Kova.
He said that one sub machine gun (SMG) was recovered at Kimbangulile area in... (GunPolicy.org)
Yemen,England & Wales,United States,Macedonia,Croatia,Slovenia,Kosovo,Bosnia & Herzegovina,Montenegro,Serbia
Citizens in Former Yugoslavia 'Traumatised and Heavily Armed'
10 April 2013
Washington Post
SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina — The wars from 1991 to 1999 as Yugoslavia broke up took up to 200,000 lives, turned millions into refugees and left much of the region's people traumatized and heavily armed. It was the bloodiest conflict in Europe since World War II.
The millions of weapons that remained in possession of civilians after the fighting have caused fatalities every week, as traumatized former soldiers either shoot family members or commit suicide or... (GunPolicy.org)
South Africa Police Guns Seized in Raid on Gang Residence
9 April 2013
Eyewitness News (South Africa)
CAPE TOWN - Western Cape Community Safety MEC Dan Plato said on Monday an investigation has been launched to determine how police issued firearms landed up in the hands of gangsters in Lavender Hill.
Metro police officers carried out several raids in the area and other suburbs over the weekend where they confiscated illegal weapons and drugs.
Officials also seized two police firearms as well as an AK-47 with ammunition.
Plato said this was worrying.
"I am actually... (GunPolicy.org)
Russian Police Find World War II Gun Arsenal in Apartment
5 April 2013
RIA Novosti (Russia)
KALININGRAD – Russian police in the Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad have discovered an arsenal of World War II firearms in an apartment belonging to a local resident, the regional Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Friday.
"They found an MG 34 machinegun, MP 38 and MP 40 sub-machineguns, a PPSh sub-machinegun and also five bolts, three pistol grips with trigger mechanisms, and six gun barrels from an unidentified model. In addition, there were also 220 rounds of... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Arms Smuggling Continues to Thrive in Indian City
2 April 2013
Times of India
ALLAHABAD - The recent seizure of some sophisticated pistols from an arm smuggler by the Special Task Force here has again brought to fore the thriving smuggling of arms in the region. Most of these firearms are being smuggled from Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal or manufactured in small illegal units running in the district.
The graph of arms seized in past three years also points towards this fact. From desi kattas (local arms) to sophisticated smuggled guns,... (GunPolicy.org)
Turkish Authorities Seize Guns Bound for Syria
29 March 2013
RTÉ (Dublin)
Turkish authorities say they have seized thousands of guns in a warehouse by the Syrian border.
A local news agency said the weapons had been destined for Turkey's war-torn neighbour.
The firearms, including more than 5,000 shotguns and rifles, starting pistols, gunstocks and 10,000 cartridges, were discovered during a raid in a village on the edge of the Turkish town of Akcakale.
The Dogan News Agency said the weapons were being stored on the edge of the border... (GunPolicy.org)
US President Uses Executive Power to Advance Gun Control Agenda
29 March 2013
The Hill (Washington DC)
President Obama is quietly moving forward on gun control.
The president has used his executive powers to bolster the national background check system, jumpstart government research on the causes of gun violence and create a million-dollar ad campaign aimed at safe gun ownership.
The executive steps will give federal law enforcement officials access to more data about guns and their owners, help keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill, and lay the... (GunPolicy.org)
Philippines Police Arrest Almost 2,000 for Breaches of Election Gun Ban
29 March 2013
Philippine Star
MANILA, Philippines - Authorities have apprehended almost 2,000 violators of the ongoing Commission on Elections gun ban, the Philippine National Police said on Friday.
In its latest count since the poll gun ban started last Jan. 13, the PNP has recorded 1,980 people arrested for illegally carrying firearms, bladed weapons and ammunitions [sic].
The PNP said that among those arrested were 13 soldiers, 23 policemen, 26 government officials, a fireman and 99 security... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Crime Guns Causing Havoc in Tanzania say Authorities
28 March 2013
Tanzania Daily News (Dar es Salaam)
Armed robbers are out of their lair again and are busy scheming, so it seems. It was reported in the press early this week that five suspected robbers had been gunned down by police in Kagera Region.
The robbers had engaged four motor vehicles in a stick-up and were robbing passengers when the police, who had already been tipped off, ambushed them. The police killed five suspects in the ensuing shoot-out. The police recovered two sub-machine guns in the process.
They... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Firearms Instructor Arrested Over Illegal Sales, Restricted Guns
27 March 2013
CBC News (Canada)
Winnipeg police have laid charges against a firearms safety instructor after seizing 101 firearms from a St. Boniface-area home.
On Feb. 26, a 54-year-old man from Winnipeg was charged with uttering threats and a variety of firearms related offences. A shot gun was seized at the time of the arrest, according to police.
Shortly after the incident, officers began looking into where the gun came from.
After a lengthy investigation, officers executed a search warrant at... (GunPolicy.org)
Police in Spain Seize 59 Illegal Guns, Parts in Sting Operation [Español]
25 March 2013
Vanguardia (Colombia)
[Translated summary - The Spanish Civil Guard has dismantled a criminal organisation making illegal firearms in Barcelona, some of which were linked to a double homicide. Five people were arrested and 59 weapons were seized, as well as parts and tools for gun manufacture.]
MADRID - La Guardia Civil ha desarticulado una organización criminal dedicada presuntamente al tráfico de armas por toda España, con el arresto de cinco personas, según ha informado el Ministerio... (GunPolicy.org)
Both Sides of US Gun Debate Citing Nazis as Reason For, Against Guns
24 March 2013
Washington Post
When the president of Ohio's state school board posted her opposition to gun control, she used a powerful symbol to make her point: a picture of Adolf Hitler. When a well-known conservative commentator decried efforts to restrict guns, he argued that if only Jews in Poland had been better armed, many more would have survived the Holocaust.
In the months since the Newtown, Conn., school massacre, some gun rights supporters have repeatedly compared U.S. gun control... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Data Shows Spike in Illegal Gun Use in South Australia
24 March 2013
Advertiser (Adelaide)
Gun-toting criminals are more likely to use their gun to threaten someone now than they were five years ago, statistics show.
SA Police figures reveal there were 33 acts likely to endanger life involving a gun in 2011-12, compared with nine in 2007-08.
An act likely to endanger life with a firearm involves the firing of the gun in most cases, but the offence may also apply if a loaded gun is pointed at someone.
The Advertiser requested statistics from police for the... (GunPolicy.org)
Irish Engineer Jailed for Reactivating, Modifying Firearms
23 March 2013
Irish News
A Newry engineer who reactivated guns for paramilitaries was operating a large-scale munitions factory for dissident republicans, police have said.
Bryan Christopher McManus (56) was yesterday jailed for more than three years.
Ordering McManus to spend half a six-and-a-half year sentence in jail and half on licence parole, Belfast Recorder Judge David McFarland told him he had "made a very bad decision to associate with undesirable elements".
The judge at Belfast... (GunPolicy.org)
One Stolen Gun Blazes a Violent Path – A Typical Tale from Any City
22 March 2013
Star Tribune (Minneapolis-St Paul)
Thomas Allen Hoffman was looking for a "cheapie."
In the spring of 2007, he browsed a North Mankato gun dealer's collection for a Hi-Point pistol, one of the least expensive handguns on the market.
Hoffman wanted the gun for personal protection.
He paid $150 to the Red Bear Hunting Emporium and took home a Hi-Point C-9 9mm semiautomatic pistol, serial #P1352366. But soon the gun was stolen, changed hands, then changed hands again, spiraling beyond the bounds of... (GunPolicy.org)
NRA Lobbies for Domestic Abusers and Drinking, Disturbed Gun Owners
20 March 2013
al Jazeera
The National Rifle Association's guns-at-all-costs mentality and total disregard for public safety has already put it in the uncomfortable position of opposing the most basic laws to protect the public safety. It opposes the regulations that would help stop disturbed young men from going on shooting sprees in schools with weapons that are as easy to fire as video game controllers. It opposes the international Arms Trade Treaty, which according to the Washington Post... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada Police Seize Loaded Assault Weapon in Trafficking Bust
20 March 2013
Edmonton Journal (Alberta)
Calgary police were disturbed to find a loaded AK-47 assault rifle — the first weapon of its kind seized in the city in recent years — during a recent trafficking bust.
"It's shocking we found such a high-calibre weapon in the hands of criminals," said Staff Sgt. Steven Drennan with the Calgary Police Service's guns and gangs unit.
While the city has seen a growing weapons trade over the years, this is the first time in recent history a genuine high calibre AK-47... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazilian Singer Caught with Handguns at Routine Checkpoint [Português]
20 March 2013
Globo (Rio de Janeiro)
[Translated summary: Brazilian singer Udson Cadorini Silva, from the group Edson & Hudson, was caught with two illegal handguns at a routine police checkpoint. Silva belongs to a firearms association, which allows members to carry weapons to and from competitions and training.]
O cantor sertanejo Udson Cadorini Silva, de 40 anos, da dupla Edson & Hudson, foi preso em flagrante na madrugada desta quarta-feira (20) em Limeira (SP) por porte ilegal de arma. O sertanejo de... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico Gun Trafficking Benefits Nearly 50% US Dealers - Study
20 March 2013
InSight Crime (Bogota)
A new study found that nearly half of United States firearms dealers are economically dependent on demand from Mexico, while under 15 percent of illicitly trafficked arms are seized at the border, highlighting the US role in Mexican gun violence.
The study, titled "The Way of the Gun: Estimating Firearms Traffic Across the U.S.-Mexico Border," aimed to quantify the US role in feeding Mexico's gun violence, which continues to rise despite tight gun control policies and... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Regional Police Uncover Huge Stash of Firearms
20 March 2013
Oshawa Express (Ontario)
Durham Regional Police Inspector Mario Lessard of the Criminal Intelligence Branch was surrounded by a room full of guns.
There were weapons strewn about everywhere, all part of a massive seizure.
Grenades, landmines, 67 guns and a small cannon were recently found in a Bancroft home where a couple now faces more than 600 charges as a result.
But what does Durham have to do with this? According to Insp. Lessard, Durham is a member of the Provincial Weapons Enforcement... (GunPolicy.org)
More Than 250,000 Guns a Year Illegally Smuggled into Mexico - Study
19 March 2013
Fox News Latino
The Fast and Furious gun-running scandal that continues to haunt the U.S. Department of Justice highlighted a frightening fact: Illegal firearms are flowing into Mexico from the U.S. at an alarming rate.
More than two percent of all firearms bought in the United States -- about 253,000 -- end up south of the border, up from 1.75 percent in 1990, according to a binational report by the Trans-Border Institute in San Diego and the Igarape Institute, a research center in... (GunPolicy.org)
Congo (DRC),Zimbabwe,Mozambique,Angola,Zambia,Africa
Zambia Calling for a 'Bullet-Proof' Arms Trade Treaty
18 March 2013
Times of Zambia
TODAY (March 18, 2013) will be a crunch day of epic proportions when the United Nations Organisation (UN) convenes at its New York Headquarters to start negotiations to conclude an Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) that has the potential to forever regulate the hitherto unregulated trade in conventional weapons.
The global trade in conventional weapons - from warships and battle tanks to fighter jets and machine guns - remains poorly regulated. No internationally agreed... (GunPolicy.org)
39,880 Militants' Firearms, Ammunition Handed Over to Nigerian Army
17 March 2013
Vanguard (Lagos)
ENUGU — The 39,880 assorted firearms and ammunition recovered from former militants in the Niger Delta by the inter-agency taskforce set up by the Federal Government have been handed over to the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army.
A breakdown of the arms handed over on Saturday at the 82 Division's parade ground included the following: 482 automatic arms, 20,132 ammunition, 295 magazines and 18,971 locally made guns.
The General Officer Commanding the 82 Division... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun, Ammo and Drugs Seized in Malaysia
14 March 2013
Malay Mail (Kuala Lumpur)
GEORGE TOWN - A 61-year-old man and his son and daughter-in-law have been detained by police for suspected involvement in using their pre-war house as a drug processing laboratory and for possession of firearms.
A gun, handgrenade and several rounds of ammunition were seized together with drug processing apparatus and an assortment of drugs from the colonial shophouse in Jalan Patani.
The man and his son and daughter-in-law, both in their 30s, were said to have used... (GunPolicy.org)
Dangerous Weapons Bill Adopted in South Africa to Curb Violence
13 March 2013
Global Times (China), Xinhua
The Portfolio Committee on Police on Tuesday adopted the Dangerous Weapons Bill as South Africa is moving to curb rising violence.
The bill will repeal all legislation dealing with dangerous weapons. There are currently five different pieces of legislation that deal with dangerous weapons, including the Dangerous Weapons Act of 1982.
The committee called on police to effectively implement the Dangerous Weapons Bill, which will also give powers to the police to arrest... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Raise Alarm about Pen Guns after Drug Bust in Canada
12 March 2013
Calgary Herald (Alberta)
It's what you might expect to find in James Bond's arsenal of high-tech weapons.
But it's turning up in Calgary and possibly gaining popularity with those involved in the city's drug trade.
A .22-calibre pen gun with a half-mile range was discovered in a drug bust Tuesday in Forest Lawn. The weapon — which looks like an ordinary retractable pen — is the third of its kind seized by police in the past year.
"This pen looks no different than something you could buy... (GunPolicy.org)
Sweden,Uruguay,Finland,Iraq,Saudi Arabia,Cyprus,Switzerland,Yemen,Serbia,United States
10 Nations with Highest Gun Ownership
12 March 2013
SiliconIndia
Bangalore: "Force and mind are opposites; morality ends where a gun begins," said novelist Ayn Rand. In an era where the misuse of guns and ammunitions are leading to massacres, it is no more a place of nonviolence. Arms and ammunitions leave bitter memories and scar the human race for ages to come. Here are the 10 countries with highest gun ownership, as listed by yahoo.com.
USA:
USA tops the list of countries with highest gun ownership and this no surprise! The... (GunPolicy.org)
More Than 1,500 People Violated Election Gun Ban Law in Philippines
12 March 2013
Manila Channel
MANILA, Philippines — As of Tuesday morning (March 12), at least 1, 551 violators of the election gun ban law were arrested since January 13, this year.
Chief Superintendent Generoso Cerbo Jr., spokesman for the Philippine National Police (PNP), said 1,582 firearms were also seized from those arrested suspects.
Cerbo said among the violators are 1,403 civilians, 93 security guards, 20 policemen, 11 AFP personnel, 20 government officials, two from CAFGU, and one each... (GunPolicy.org)
Easily Available Home-made Handguns, 1st Choice of Criminals in Nepal
11 March 2013
Kantipur (Nepal)
PARSA - An 18-year-old boy brandished a pistol to threaten one of his friends over a minor dispute while playing snooker at Maisthan in Birgunj last Thursday.
Fortunately, the situation was brought under control as police reached the incident site immediately. The boy, however, managed to flee the scene upon seeing the police personnel.
On August 24, 2012, Rama Shankar Mandal, general secretary of the Madhesi Factory Workers' Forum, was shot dead by an unidentified... (GunPolicy.org)
South Africa: Port Elizabeth Police Destroy Over 2,000 Guns
9 March 2013
News24 (Cape Town), South African Press Association
PORT ELIZABETH - A total of 2 065 firearms were destroyed in Port Elizabeth on Saturday morning, Eastern Cape police said.
"At least 848 of these have been voluntarily surrendered. The other 1 217 were confiscated by the state and had been used in criminal activities," said Lieutenant-Colonel Sibongile Soci.
The firearms included rifles, shotguns and handguns.
Nearly 40 000 firearms have been destroyed by police in the province since 2004, said... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: News24 (Cape Town), South African Press Association
UK Coroner Calls for Radical Overhaul of Gun Licensing
8 March 2013
Guardian (UK), Press Association (UK)
A coroner has called for radical overhaul of gun licensing at the conclusion of an inquest into a taxi driver who shot dead three members of his family before killing himself.
Andrew Tweddle described the current system as flawed, adding that it was fortuitous there had not been more incidents like the one in Horden, near Peterlee, County Durham, on New Year's Day 2012.
Michael Atherton, 42, killed his partner, Susan McGoldrick, 47, her sister, 44-year-old Alison... (GunPolicy.org)
How Brazil Exploited Sexual Insecurity to Curb Guns
8 March 2013
Bloomberg (USA)
Brazil has a gun culture, a gun industry and a gun problem -- much like the U.S. In fact, more Brazilians than Americans died of gunfire in 2010.
Yet Brazil's 2010 tally, 34,300 deaths, was significantly lower than its gun fatalities in 2003 (39,284), when the government enacted major gun-control regulation. I asked Brazilian political scientist Antonio Bandeira, who coordinates the arms-control program of Viva Rio, a nongovernmental organization in Rio De Janeiro, how... (GunPolicy.org)
Customs Seize Four Guns Smuggled into Philippines with Rice, Sugar
7 March 2013
Sun Star (Philippines)
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) Port of Cebu yesterday seized smuggled rice, sugar, guns, a motorcycle, bags and fashion accessories in the cities of Cebu and Lapu-Lapu.
It said the confiscated goods were worth a total of P116 million.
Top BOC officials began by examining 10 20-foot cargo containers, which held allegedly smuggled rice valued at P10 million. They then proceeded to examine four other 20-foot containers containing P5 million worth of sugar, which they also... (GunPolicy.org)
Russian Police Raid Illegal Gun Workshop Making and Repairing Guns
7 March 2013
RIA Novosti (Russia)
MOSCOW – The police and the Federal Security Service (FSB) have uncovered an underground arms factory and large cache of firearms in the Moscow Region, the Interior Ministry reported on Thursday.
"Two underground workshops for arms re-engineering were liquidated and four suspected criminal gang members were arrested," the police reported in a statement.
The workshops were based in two garages west of Moscow, where the security forces discovered at least nine machine... (GunPolicy.org)
US Lobby Objects to Using Civilian Gun Fees for Seizing Crime Guns
6 March 2013
Los Angeles Times
SACRAMENTO — Enforce the laws already on the books. Take away the criminals' weapons, not the law-abiding citizens'. Sound familiar? It's the mantra of the gun lobby.
That is, until the government actually attempts to do it. Then the lobby changes its lyrics.
It seemed surreal listening to lobbyists for gun rights groups Monday, as if the ears were playing tricks. They testified at a state Senate Budget Committee hearing in opposition to legislation that would spend... (GunPolicy.org)
Scottish Man Jailed for Storing Guns and Ammo
4 March 2013
BBC News
A man who was caught with firearms and drugs at his home in North Lanarkshire has been jailed for seven years.
Police raided 50-year-old John Lucas' isolated home at Roughrigg, Airdrie, on April 27 last year.
They found cocaine worth £164,000, cannabis worth £12,000, amphetamine worth £11,000 and £38,000 in cash. They also found gun barrels and ammunition.
Wheelchair user Lucas was jailed at the High Court in Edinburgh after earlier pleading guilty to the... (GunPolicy.org)
More Than 100 Firearms Seized in Kuando Kubango, Angola [Francais]
4 March 2013
Angola Press Agency (Luanda)
[Translated summary: 104 firearms and 750 ammunition seized in 2012 in the framework of the Disarmament Programme in the province of Kuando Kubango, Angola.]
MENONGUE (Angola) - 104 armes à feu et 750 munitions diverses ont été récupérées en 2012 dans la province de Kuando Kubango (extrême-sud-est) dans le cadre du programme de désarmement de la population.
Le bilan annuel rendu public jeudi à l'occasion des 37 ans de la police angolaise indique que... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Bullets Cost the Same as Bread in Jamaica
3 March 2013
Gleaner (Jamaica)
In Jamaica, a loaf of bread retails at a corner shop for about $235 while a single 9mm bullet can be bought for about $280 or less. The degree of difficulty in purchasing the bread or the bullet is relatively the same: zero.
A special Sunday Gleaner probe has confirmed that one does not have to work up a sweat to buy bullets on the streets of Jamaica. It is literally no problem, as we found out when we purchased 25 of these 9mm bullets last week.
Anyone interested in... (GunPolicy.org)
Thai Men Arrested for Allegedly Selling Homemade Guns on Facebook
27 February 2013
Bangkok Post
Police have arrested two men for allegedly selling homemade guns, many of them to technical college students and teenagers, on Facebook.
The two suspects, Withaya Chai-Auari, 32, and Suriya Khoksombat, 25, were arrested in Bangkok yesterday.
An undercover police officer posing as a customer contacted Mr Withaya on the internet to buy weapons. Mr Withaya turned up for the meeting with the guns in Phahon Yothin Soi 55 and was immediately arrested, police said.
Police... (GunPolicy.org)
Bermuda Crime Rate Drops But Little Change in Gun Murder Rate
26 February 2013
Bermuda Sun
Crime in Bermuda is falling — but gun killings remained at the same level last year compared to the year before.
The latest statistics released by police show that five men were shot dead in 2012, the same as in 2011.
But there were fewer gun injuries, with seven in 2012 and 11 in 2011.
There were also fewer murders year-on-year, with a further three non-gun murders logged in 2011 compared to last year.
The overall crime rate dropped by 382 offences (8.7 per cent)... (GunPolicy.org)
Russian Police Seize Large Cache of 'Black Market' Weapons
26 February 2013
RIA Novosti (Russia)
MOSCOW – Police has confiscated over 100 pieces of weaponry during a raid on an apartment in eastern Moscow owned by a suspected arms dealer.
"The seized arsenal included 24 Kalashnikov assault rifles, 34 Makarov handguns, 14 TT pistols, four Nagan revolvers, a Walther and a Parabellum pistols, three machine-guns, six rifles, a hand grenade and several fuses," police said in a statement on Monday.
The suspect, a 40-year-old Muscovite whose identity has not been... (GunPolicy.org)
Australians Offered Rewards for Gun Info After Shootings, Amnesty
21 February 2013
Advertiser (Adelaide)
Rewards of up to $10,000 will be offered for people who give South Australian police information that leads to major gun busts.
Premier Jay Weatherill announced the measure today in response to a spate of recent shootings - 17 since December 31.
He said the state could have confidence most of the shootings were not random but conceded more needed to be done to address the problem.
The gun bounty follows a recent amnesty encouraging people to hand in illegal guns.
Mr... (GunPolicy.org)
Honduras to Give Seized Guns to Security Forces
20 February 2013
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Honduran officials have announced that confiscated firearms will be redistributed among the security forces, boosting ill-equipped agencies, and diverting the arms away from the black market.
Officials estimate the police currently have 4,000 weapons stored as evidence. Those that are legal in Honduras, for the most part handguns, will be distributed to police, military and Justice Department officials. The illegal guns, including AK-47s and carbines, will be... (GunPolicy.org)
Quebec Moves Towards Gun Registry, Gun Storage Changes
19 February 2013
Montreal Gazette (Québec)
QUEBEC — It was in their eyes, it was in their voices.
Gun-control advocates, including the mother of a victim of the École Polytechnique massacre, descended on the National Assembly Tuesday to witness another step toward the creation of a provincial gun registry.
And while they heaped praise on Quebec's politicians — the new registry has the support of all the parties here — they expressed anger at what has happened to their dream of better gun control in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Russia,Nigeria,Madagascar,Guinea
Nigeria Charges Russian 'Gun Dealers' for Smuggling
19 February 2013
BBC News
Fifteen Russian sailors have been charged in a court in Nigeria's main city, Lagos, with illegally bringing weapons into the country.
The crew of the MV Myre Seadiver were denied bail by the High Court, pending a final ruling on Monday.
The Nigerian navy had seized the ship, owned by Moscow-based security firm Moran, last October.
Moran has said the ship had permission to carry arms and had stopped in Lagos to change crew.
The vessel had been travelling from... (GunPolicy.org)
Indonesia Police Arrest Former Soldier for Selling Gun
13 February 2013
Jakarta Post
Police announced on Tuesday that they had arrested a former member of the Indonesian Military for selling a firearm he snatched from a police cadet in Makassar, South Sulawesi.
Police arrested TMT, 25, in South Jakarta on Jan. 7 after detectives posed as buyers. Police also seized a V2 firearm as evidence.
The suspect was about to sell the firearm for Rp 25 million (around US$2,500).
Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto said that the man robbed the cadet just... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexican Artist Turns Guns Into Musical Instruments
13 February 2013
New York Times / Associated Press
MEXICO CITY — The guns that have caused so many deaths in northern Mexico are now making music.
Mechanical hammers ping against ammunition magazines from assault rifles. Gun barrels cut to different lengths ring like marimbas. Pistol parts strike metal plates, like cymbals, to create rhythmic, syncopated sounds.
"It's important to consider that many lives were taken with these weapons, as if a sort of exorcism was taking place," sculptor Pedro Reyes said in a... (GunPolicy.org)
Yemeni Culture a Barrier to Gun Control
12 February 2013
Atlantic (USA)
SANA'A, Yemen - With shops lining the main road and hard bargaining merchants abounding, Jihana appears to be your average Yemeni market. But instead of shopping for food or clothes, customers peruse a vast assortment of glocks, pistols, AK47s, M16s, anti-aircraft artillery, bazookas, and nearly any other weapon short of an actual tank.
"In Yemen, no matter if you're rich or poor, you must have guns. Even if it's just one piece," insists Abdul Wahab al-Ammari, a tribal... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland Guns: Living with Firearms the Swiss Way
11 February 2013
BBC News
Switzerland has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in the world, but little gun-related street crime - so some opponents of gun control hail it as a place where firearms play a positive role in society. However, Swiss gun culture is unique, and guns are more tightly regulated than many assume.
Throughout the attack, Anne Ithen kept her eyes shut.
"I didn't want to see it. I didn't want those images in my head for the rest of my life… but I remember... (GunPolicy.org)
India Police Arrest Alleged Gun Smugglers in Ongoing Crackdown
10 February 2013
Hindustan Times (Delhi)
NEW DELHI - Three gun runners, who were allegedly attempting to smuggle more than a dozen sophisticated firearms were caught 'red-handed' by the special cell, police said on Sunday. The firearms were to be sold to criminals operating in the NCR.
The trio was waylaid and nabbed from near the Anand Vihar-Ghazipur foot-over bridge around 5pm on Saturday, said Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, deputy commissioner of police (special cell). Their identities have been withheld due to the... (GunPolicy.org)
Iran,Yemen,North Korea,Libya,Somalia,Africa
UN Monitors See Weapons in Somalia From Yemen, Iran
10 February 2013
Reuters
As the United States pushes for an end to the U.N. arms embargo on Somalia, U.N. monitors are reporting that Islamist militants in the Horn of Africa nation are receiving arms from distribution networks linked to Yemen and Iran, diplomats told Reuters.
The U.N. Security Council's sanctions monitoring team's concerns about Iranian and Yemeni links to arms supplies for al Shabaab militants come as Yemen is asking Tehran to stop backing armed groups on Yemeni soil. Last... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 100 Guns Seized After Venezuela Prison Massacre
8 February 2013
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Authorities have seized over 100 firearms, as well as ammunition and drugs, from the Venezuelan prison where dozens recently died in a riot, yet another indication of the total lack of state control over the country's infamously violent prison system.
In a February 7 press conference, Venezuelan Head of Penitentiary Affairs, Iris Varela, stated that 106 firearms, over 8,500 rounds of ammunition and an unspecified amount of cocaine and marijuana were found at Uribana... (GunPolicy.org)
South Africa Police Destroy Over 3,000 Guns, Admit Losing 1,200
5 February 2013
Eyewitness News (South Africa)
JOHANNESBURG - At least 31,000 knives and more than 3,000 guns were destroyed by police in Vereeniging on Tuesday.
The weapons were seized from criminals in Gauteng over the past two years, as part of the Operation Duty Calls campaign.
The weapons were packed in white bags at the Arcelor Metal Plant in Vereeniging.
A giant electric magnate liftted the weapons up to the brim of a 10-metre tall smelter, into which they would later be thrown into.
Once the weapons have... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia Enacts New Gun Trafficking Penalty, Plans National Register
5 February 2013
Ministry of Home Affairs (Australia), Media release
The House of Representatives today passed legislation to create a new aggravated offence for trafficking firearms which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, and to strengthen laws that target the unexplained wealth of criminals.
This is part of an important reform package that targets two key enablers of serious and organised crime – the money they make and the firearms they use.
"These laws will make the maximum penalty for trafficking in firearms the... (GunPolicy.org)
Myanmar Police Seize Drugs, 96 Guns on Indian Border
4 February 2013
Irrawaddy (Burma)
Burmese police seized around US $140,000 worth of pseudo-ephedrine-based cold and flu tablets and a large cache of weapons in Tamu, Sagaing Division, on Sunday, according to local sources and state-media reports.
"A couple has been detained for questioning and anti-narcotics forces are preparing to charge them with illegal possession of weapons and drug trafficking," an officer from the Tamu Police Station told The Irrawaddy on Monday.
Initial reports suggested that... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Officials Say Most Gun Crime Traced to Under 1,000 Illegal Guns
2 February 2013
Washington Post
LONDON — When police on a weapons raid swarmed a housing project after London's 2011 riots, they seized a cache of arms that in the United States might be better suited to "Antiques Roadshow" than inner-city ganglands. Inside plastic bags hidden in a trash collection room, officers uncovered two archaic flintlock pistols, retrofitted flare guns and a Jesse James-style revolver.
These days, that kind of antiquated firepower is about the baddest a British gang member... (GunPolicy.org)
1,400 Illegal Guns Seized Over Two Years in Ireland
1 February 2013
Independent (Dublin)
Gardai have seized more than 1,400 illegal guns over a two-year period including assault rifles and automatic weapons.
A detailed list of the types of guns seized in 2010 and 2011 shows the frightening arsenal of weapons available to the State's most ruthless criminal gangs.
They include sub-machine guns and automatic weapons commonly used by armed police forces and the military.
The latest figures show that almost 300 shotguns similar to the one used to murder... (GunPolicy.org)
Ghanaian, Nigerian Suspects Caught Allegedly Smuggling Guns
30 January 2013
This Day (Lagos)
It was a perfect façade, so they thought. Who could have suspected that a couple riding in a neat-looking Mercedes Benz car was not what they pretended to be. To an ordinary onlooker, they were mere international travellers, perhaps heading to Nigeria on a pleasure or a business trip.
However, the vigilance of a police patrol team uncovered their evil intention. The duo of Mr. Daniel Ofori, a Ghanaian and his Nigerian counterpart, Ms. Olufumolayo Adeyemo, were nothing... (GunPolicy.org)
Malaysian 'Sect' Leader Charged Over Imitation Guns, Swords
29 January 2013
Star (Malaysia)
JASIN - A man believed to be the leader of an alleged deviant sect claimed trial at the Magistrate's court here Tuesday to two separate charges of possessing a cache of dangerous weapons and imitation firearms.
Mohd Jaffar Robani, 46, was alleged to have in his possession 29 swords, 11 machetes, three knives and a spear.
He faced charges under Section 7(1)(a) of the Corrosive, Explosive and Dangerous Weapons Act 1958, which carries a two-year jail sentence and fine of... (GunPolicy.org)
Jamaica Police Seize Semi-Auto Pistol, Homemade Guns
29 January 2013
Go Jamaica
Four persons are now in police custody in connection with the seizure of four illegal guns in separate incidents yesterday.
The police report that a man and a woman were arrested after a .45 semi-automatic pistol with serial number erased, along with three .45 cartridges was found in a car along Maxfield Avenue yesterday.
According to reports from the Constabulary Communications Network, three homemade firearms were also seized in separate operations in St. James... (GunPolicy.org)
Bolivia,United States,Colombia,Brazil,Argentina
Bolivia Breaks Gun Trafficking Ring, Weapons From US to Brazil
28 January 2013
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Bolivian authorities broke up a network suspected of smuggling guns from the United States to Brazil's First Capital Command (PCC) gang, highlighting this Andean nation's role as a transit route in the region's illicit arms trade.
On January 25, authorities arrested four Bolivian nationals in the city of Santa Cruz and seized an arms shipment worth $150,000 that was destined to be sent across the border to the Brazilian PCC gang, reported EFE news agency.
Among the 28... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns Used in 80 Percent of Trinidad Murders, say Police
26 January 2013
Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday
Firearms are used in almost 80 percent of the murders in the country, therefore it is critical that the police target getting guns out of the hands of criminals.
So said Ag Commissioner of Police, Stephen Williams, at the AmCham monthly meeting at the Hilton yesterday.
According to Williams, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) recovers firearms almost every day. He said it was important for the police to find ways of reducing the illegal entry of firearms... (GunPolicy.org)
Philippines Police Bust Illegal Gun Manufacturers, Seize Parts
26 January 2013
Inquirer News (Philippines)
Eight were arrested and several firearms, gun parts and equipment valued at around P1 million were seized in two separate raids described by police as a big blow in the illegal production of firearms in Danao City, northern Cebu.
The operations were conducted by operatives of the Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB) of the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) last Thursday afternoon in sitio Canbiohan, barangay Poblacion, Danao.
Those arrested were identified as Jaime... (GunPolicy.org)
Saudi Border Guards Seize Hundreds of Smuggled Weapons
26 January 2013
Yahoo! Maktoob News
Saudi Border Guards in Jazan province foiled numerous attempts to smuggle weapons and ammunition in addition to liquor and narcotics into the Kingdom from Yemen over the last two months, spokesman of the Border Guards in Jazan Col. Abdullah Mahfouz said in a statement to the Saudi Press Agency on Friday.
"The Border Guards seized 308 weapons of various types, 13,051 rounds of live ammunition, 19 bottles of liquor and 78 narcotic tablets, 403,562 kg of hashish and 1,775... (GunPolicy.org)
'Alarmingly Easy Access' to Guns Online Fuelling Australian Crime
23 January 2013
ABC News (Australia), Video
A former senior federal police officer has warned more needs to be done to combat the online trade of firearms as authorities in Sydney deal with a spate of shootings and street violence.
In the past three months alone there have been 25 separate shooting incidents in Sydney - last night, two shootings were reported in the city's south-west.
The style and purpose of the shootings are not confined to traditional turf warfare over drugs or ongoing reprisals between... (GunPolicy.org)
South Africa Police Seize Over 700 Illegal Guns During Festive Season
16 January 2013
SouthAfrica.info (Johannesburg)
The South African Police Service (SAPS) made 67,000 arrests around the country over the festive season, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa said at a media briefing in Pretoria on Tuesday.
The arrests - for crimes ranging from murder, robbery and rape to fraud, shoplifting and driving under the influence - took place during the course of a festive season safety campaign which began on 15 October and will officially end on 31 January.
A total of 704 were arrested for public... (GunPolicy.org)
Ecuador Claims FARC Buying Arms During Peace Talks
16 January 2013
InSight Crime (Bogota) / EFE News Agency
The FARC rebel group has been increasing its arms purchases since the beginning of peace talks with the Colombian government, according to an Ecuadorian general.
Army General Fernando Proaño Daza, who commands troops on his country's border with Colombia, told EFE that arms trafficking had increased since the beginning of the peace process, which formally began in October. According to Proaño, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) is "taking advantage of... (GunPolicy.org)
