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United States,France,China,Pakistan,Afghanistan,Sweden
Pakistan a 'Very Gun-friendly Society,' 9 in 10 Owners Unlicensed
30 April 2012
Dawn (Karachi)
On January 25 this year, 32-year-old Waqas, a garment factory employee was hit by a bullet in New Karachi and he died. The bullet was not fired from the gun of a target killer, but by friends of a bridegroom amidst late-night wedding celebrations.
Two children aged 10 and 12, died in Sialkot in a similar incident on February 20, when the jubilant brother of a bridegroom unleashed a burst of bullets.
Such accidents, almost an every-day affair in Pakistan, never make it... (GunPolicy.org)
New Obama Gun Rule Sparks 123 Gun Trafficking Probes in Texas Alone
25 April 2012
Houston Chronicle (Texas)
Federal agents in South Texas have opened 123 criminal investigations as a result of a new requirement that border-state gun stores report customers who buy two or more large caliber rifles in the same week, especially those preferred by Mexican drug cartels.
The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said Wednesday that it is not looking at everyone who makes multiple purchases, but those who draw suspicion for other reasons, such as repeatedly... (GunPolicy.org)
Ethiopia,South Africa,Burkina Faso,Sierra Leone,West Africa,Ukraine,Côte d'Ivoire,Eastern Europe,Russia,Central African Republic,Iraq,Afghanistan,United States,Colombia,Angola,Liberia,North Africa,West Asia,Africa
Shadowy 'Merchants of Death' Behind Africa's Illegal Gun-Running
11 April 2012
Think Africa Press (London)
Arms dealer Viktor Bout was sentenced to 25 years by a US federal court last week.
Widely known as the 'merchant of death', the 45-year-old Russian has delivered weapons and arms to a wide range of presidents, insurgents and rebels in Africa and the Middle East including the likes of Charles Taylor in Liberia and Jonas Savimbi in Angola. He was caught in a US sting in which his services were solicited for the supply of weapons to Colombia's FARC rebels.
His companies... (GunPolicy.org)
Lebanese Dealer Describes Flourishing Business of Gun Smuggling into Syria
8 April 2012
Ya Libnan (Lebanon)
Wearing dark glasses as he sat in a fashionable Beirut cafe, Abu Abode, a Lebanese arms dealer, did not mince his words as he described the flourishing business of smuggling weapons into neighbouring Syria.
"Small arms and automatic rifles are in high demand by the Syrian rebels," Abu Abode, not his real name, told dpa.
Peaceful pro-democracy protests, which started in Syria in March 2011, have turned into an armed conflict between the government of President Bashar... (GunPolicy.org)
West Asia,North Africa,South America,Africa,United States,Russia
Russian Arms Dealer Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison by US Judge
5 April 2012
New York Times / Reuters
NEW YORK - Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer caught in an undercover sting by U.S. agents posing as Colombian guerrillas seeking weapons, was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Thursday by a U.S. judge in New York.
Bout, who was the subject of a book titled "Merchant of Death," asserted his innocence during the sentencing, telling the judge through a Russian interpreter, "I never intended to kill anyone. I never intended to sell arms to anyone. God knows this... (GunPolicy.org)
US: We Need To Talk About Guns - Blog by Andrew Rosenthal
5 April 2012
New York Times, Blog
How many students have to be shot to death in their schools before this country has a serious discussion about guns? Are the 10 who have been gunned down just since Feb. 27 enough?
The question of the constitutional right to own guns is irrelevant here—even if you believe that the Constitution gives every last American the right to own a firearm (which The Times editorial board does not, but many other reasonable people do).
There is simply no defending the many... (GunPolicy.org)
20 Licensed Dealers Struck Off, Supplying Crime Guns in Australia
1 April 2012
Age (Melbourne)
Gun dealers are hiring out shotguns and rifles indefinitely to shooters dodging registration requirements, with dozens of the guns disappearing, raising concerns they may be used for criminal purposes.
The guns are hired out at the full purchase price and are essentially de facto sales. The issue is of increasing concern given the recent spate of gang shootings in the northern and western suburbs.
By law, guns can be hired out only to licensed shooters, but the... (GunPolicy.org)
Multiple Shootings Highlight Growing Illegal Gun Trade in France
27 March 2012
Christian Science Monitor
France's strict gun laws sharply limit legal ownership. But illegal trafficking is on the rise – at prices that people like Toulouse gunman Mohamed Merah can afford.
PARIS - As the prosecutor listed the weapons gunman Mohamed Merah amassed before going on a shooting rampage in Toulouse, French citizens received a stark reminder that gun trafficking doesn't only affect unstable countries. It's happening in France, too – a nation that is anything but gun-friendly.... (GunPolicy.org)
Asia,Laos,Thailand,China,India
Indian Militants Buy $Millions of Guns from China via Thai Broker - Claim
18 March 2012
Telegraph (India)
NEW DELHI - Northeast outfits are employing crafty financial methods to procure arms worth millions of dollars and make them look like legitimate legal buys.
A series of arrests by the National Investigation Agency of militants from various outfits has revealed formulae that take the best financial brains to come up with.
A number of such devices tumbled out of the militants' closets after the NIA arrested NSCN (I-M) leader Anthony Shimray and over 20 United National... (GunPolicy.org)
Mass Shooting Survivor Slams 'Outrageous' Lack of US Gun Sale Checks
15 March 2012
CNN
A man who survived the April 2007 massacre at Virginia Tech says not enough is being done to keep guns out of the hands of people like the shooter even as a jury found the university failed to warn students earlier that a gunman was on campus.
"As someone who lost a teacher and many friends as a result of the Virginia Tech massacre, I am gratified by the verdict," said Colin Goddard, who was shot four times during the rampage by Seung-Hui Cho.
A jury Wednesday awarded... (GunPolicy.org)
Barbados Gun Dealer, Gun Lobby Leader Faces Illegal Firearm Charges
4 February 2012
Stabroek News (Guyana)
A gun dealer charged with not only failing to register his transactions but with possession of 21 guns – some of them high-powered weapons – without the proper licences was remanded after a late afternoon court appearance yesterday.
Michael Holder, 43, of Christ Church, had 25 charges, including 21 charges of possession of illegal firearms, read to him by Magistrate Graveney Bannister. Holder appeared in the District "A" Magistrates' Court.
The president of the... (GunPolicy.org)
Breast Cancer Foundation, US Gun Dealer Team Up to Sell Pink Pistol
3 February 2012
CBS News (USA) / AP
SEATTLE – The Susan G. Komen Foundation is teaming up with Seattle gun distributor Discount Gun Sales, LLC, to sell a pink handgun to help raise money for the breast cancer organization.
The gun, a Walther P-22, is already available for purchase at $429.99.
"Discount Gun Sales is proud to team up with the Susan B. Koman [sic] Foundation to offer the Walther P-22 Hope Edition in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month," the page reads. "A portion of each P-22... (GunPolicy.org)
China,United States,Ghana,Nigeria
Nigerian Civilians Hold 2 Million Guns, Security Forces 600,000
30 January 2012
Nation (Nigeria)
Members of the dreaded insurgent group, Boko Haram, armed robbers and hired assassins have done great havoc with guns acquired illegally. Where are they coming from? OLUKAYODE THOMAS and JOKE KUJENYA examine the sources of illegal arms into the country.
The ruins are still visible on the police zonal headquatres in Kano. The offices of the State Security Service (SSS) and the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) testify to the Boko Haram bombing and armed assaults of... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany,Poland,Nigeria,China,United Kingdom
UK Arms Dealer Arranged to Sell 80,000 Chinese Guns to Nigeria - Court
10 January 2012
BBC News
A British-based arms dealer helped organise the shipment of thousands of guns from China to Nigeria without the necessary licence, a court has heard.
Gary Hyde partly arranged and organised the shipment in 2007 of 80,000 rifles and pistols and 32 million rounds of ammunition.
Southwark Crown Court heard he did not receive permission from the relevant government department.
Mr Hyde, from Derwent near York, denies the charges.
The court was told the shipment involved... (GunPolicy.org)
Former Marine Gets 10yrs for Smuggling US Guns to English Crime Gangs
10 January 2012
News & Observer (North Carolina)
GREENVILLE -- A former U.S. Marine has been sentenced to 10 years in prison today for illegally trafficking dozens of handguns to the United Kingdom.
Steven Neal Greenoe, 37, a former Raleigh resident, pleaded guilty in federal court to the charges, which allege that the joint U.S. and U.K. citizen took nine trips from North Carolina – where he grew up – purchased handguns, and concealed a total of 63 pistols in his luggage before returning to England, where he... (GunPolicy.org)
Investigation: US Illegal Gun Buyers Have an Easy Time Online - Time
16 December 2011
Time (USA)
Easy firearm sales over the Internet, through classified sites like Craigslist, may be to blame for a significant amount of the nation's gun crime, thanks to a loophole in federal firearm regulations that some private arms sellers are taking advantage of, according to a new investigation released Wednesday.
In a probe of illegal online firearm sales conducted by the City of New York, undercover investigators found that 62% of private gun sellers they interacted with... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Gun Sales Run Rampant on US Internet, Arm 'Craigslist Killers'
14 December 2011
Huffington Post (USA)
A New York City undercover investigation heralded as the first of its kind has found a "vast and largely unregulated market for illegal guns" on the Internet, and the worst offender is a website that has gotten mixed up with the law before: Craigslist.
In the report released Wednesday, entitled, "Point, Click, Fire: An Investigation of Illegal Online Gun Sales," investigators found that sellers on Craigslist agreed 82 percent of the time to sell guns to a purchaser who... (GunPolicy.org)
New Zealand Gun Dealer Offers Machine Guns, Anti-aircraft Gun for Sale
9 December 2011
New Zealand Herald / APNZ
A Christchurch arms dealer is trading high-calibre weapons more associated with freedom fighters in Libya than librarians in Linwood.
David Tipple of Gun City is selling for a bargain price of $1499 anti-aircraft cannons designed to shoot jet-fighters out of the sky.
Also available are German machineguns from the Battle of Stalingrad, MP5 9mm sub-machineguns starting from $14,999, as well as "very rare" 9mm UZI machineguns - down from $12,000 - Russian AK47s, .303... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
Civilians Have Easy Access to Illegal Guns in Kurdistan Black Market
3 December 2011
Kurdish Globe (Kurdistan)
Some see their firearms as further protection
Twenty years after the Kurdish uprising, civilians still keep guns in their homes.
Firearms remain widely accepted by people in a region where possession of unlicensed firearms is considered illegal.
A weapon that was once essential for their survival--especially in the 90s--still has not lost its appeal among civilians. Politicians gift guns as a tradition.
The gun market located outside of Erbil city is part of some 20... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
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)
Arms Dealer Linked to Fatal Shootings in Czech Aircraft Factory Boardroom
10 November 2011
České Noviny (Prague)
KUNOVICE - Three men, including the assailant, died and one woman suffered light injuries in a shooting incident in the Czech Aircraft Industries plant in Kunovice today, regional police spokeswoman Jana Bartikova said.
The shooting occurred in the company's headquarters shortly before noon. There was reportedly a meeting of the company board, some of whose members were killed.
The police were alerted by the employees.
The situation in the company was very dramatic.... (GunPolicy.org)
Four California Police Agencies Linked to Probe of Illegal Gun Sales
5 November 2011
Sacramento Bee (California)
The federal probe into suspected illegal gun sales by local law enforcement officers involves at least four major police agencies in the Sacramento region, officials confirmed Friday.
Two deputies from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department, one Sacramento police officer and one Roseville police officer are the focus of the probe that spilled into the open Thursday, the Bee has learned.
In addition, a Sacramento firearms dealer allegedly involved with some of the... (GunPolicy.org)
New Canadian Law Would Allow Even Gun Dealer Sales to Escape Registration
5 November 2011
Montreal Gazette (Québec)
As tensions mount between Quebec and Ottawa over the federal government's proposed law to abolish the longgun registry, a wide-ranging group of activists and politicians gathered at Dawson College on Friday to urge the province to take legal action to save the registry and its vast database.
Heidi Rathjen of Poly sesouvient.ca, a group that has tracked gun laws since the massacre at the École Polytechnique that killed 14 women on Dec. 6, 1989, said Quebec should do... (GunPolicy.org)
Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,United States
Tough to Prosecute Gun Dealers Without Laws: Oxfam, Human Rights First
4 November 2011
San Francisco Chronicle, Opinion
In a trial that played out with far less fanfare than the "Lord of War" movie based on Viktor Bout's life, the public got a rare glimpse into the shadowy world of international arms brokering. Bout was convicted by a federal jury in New York this week on four counts of conspiracy, including conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. Not among the counts against him, ironically, was his alleged involvement in nearly 20 years of... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
Obama Voters, Muslims Need Not Apply for Texas Gun Course
28 October 2011
Reuters
SAN ANTONIO - A central Texas gun dealer ran radio ads advising "Socialist" liberals, those who voted for President Barack Obama, Arabs and Muslims that they need not apply for his concealed gun license class.
Crockett Keller, who owns Keller's Riverside Store, ran the ads on the radio station in his rural hometown of Mason, Texas, which is 120 miles west of the state capital of Austin.
"If you are a Socialist liberal and/or voted for the current campaigner in chief,... (GunPolicy.org)
Political Party Gives Bullets to Australian Gun Clubs in Return for Votes
28 October 2011
Australian (Sydney)
Bob Katter's Australia Party is giving bullets to gun clubs in return for their political support.
Gun dealer and party vice-president Robert Nioa yesterday confirmed the "sponsorship" scheme as Queensland Attorney-General Paul Lucas condemned the fledgling political entity's financial links to shooting interests.
Mr Lucas said he was seeking crown law advice over a loophole in electoral laws that spared the party from having to declare more than $500,000 in donations... (GunPolicy.org)
Cowboys, Gun Dealer Calling the Shots for Bob Katter's Political Party
27 October 2011
Australian (Sydney)
Little has been made of the links between Bob Katter's new political party and shooting interests but the website of the gun-dealing millionaire who is the party's senior vice-president gives an insight into the thirst for bloodsports of some of its backers.
For Rob Nioa and some of his like-minded friends who helped to finance Katter's Australian Party, including Queensland Gun Exchange owner David Auger, bagging a rare animal such as a scimitar-horned oryx is a... (GunPolicy.org)
Licensed Canadian Firearm Dealer, Offsider Jailed for Gun Trafficking
18 October 2011
Province (British Columbia)
The son of a cop who was arrested after police found 127 firearms in his vehicle was sentenced Monday to 61/2 years in prison.
Marc Gougeon, a native of Montreal who was living in Vancouver's West End at the time, was convicted in May of trafficking in firearms.
Gougeon, 33, the son of a Montreal police officer, was arrested in September 2006 in Burnaby while driving a rented vehicle with the handguns, all of them semi-automatic weapons with the serial numbers... (GunPolicy.org)
Criminal Says He Has No Trouble Obtaining a Handgun in Australia
11 October 2011
Courier-Mail (Brisbane)
A hardened Gold Coast criminal has told The Courier-Mail he could obtain a "very nice" handgun for about $2000 in two hours "through bikie connections".
The man, who has a criminal history involving outlaw motorcycle clubs, said the weapon would be "top of the range, like a Glock 9mm" and was likely to have come from a cache of guns stolen during a break-in and then stored for later use or sale. "It could be easily procured for a job," he said.
A spate of shootings on... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Dealer Trapped After UK Police Set Up Fake Shop in Manchester
4 October 2011
Manchester Evening News (UK)
A gun dealer was trapped after police set up a fake shop selling combat clothing.
Undercover cops posed as shop workers who were looking for lethal weapons in the elaborate sting.
The store was set up after police became concerned at the number of firearms on the streets of Manchester.
After weeks at the store on Princess Road, Moss Side, a gang member customer introduced the plain clothes officers to Marc Billingham, who supplied them with two working guns, an air... (GunPolicy.org)
Major Seizures of Guns Mainly Firearm Dealer Imports - Australia Customs
14 September 2011
Daily Telegraph (Sydney)
December 23, 2008
Sydney
Huge haul of weapons including:
Assault rifles: Steyr F88, Norinco SKS, Marlin 60 and ADI SLR L1A1
Handguns: Beretta 92FS and Remington 870 Wingmaster
Shot guns: Mossberg 500A
Teargas
16cm rifle silencer
Pistol scope
Megatron Transformer
December 8, 2009
Sydney
980 rounds of FMJ green tip M855 Penetrator armour piercing bullets
July 25, 2006
Brisbane
Steyer tactical scout elite .308 calibre rifle, with telescopic sight
May 30,... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Seize 600 Guns from Licensed Dealer in Victorian 'Drug Turf War'
30 August 2011
Star (West Melbourne)
Notorious warring crime groups in the North-West have been "lawful customers" of a St Albans gun dealership, where police seized 600 firearms last week.
On Monday 22 August, officers confiscated hundreds of guns from the Leslie St business.
The 79-year-old owner is expected to face charges of firearms offences, false accounting and using false documents.
The operation was launched three weeks after a tip-off and a police audit, which discovered bookkeeping... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Seize Hundreds of Firearms from Licensed Melbourne Gun Dealer
22 August 2011
ABC News (Australia)
Victoria Police have seized about 600 firearms and shut down a gun shop in Melbourne's north-west.
Police say officers raided the gun dealership at St Albans, after a two-week investigation.
Police say the investigation was sparked by an audit under an operation that focuses on the safe disposal and registration of firearms.
A 79-year-old St Albans man is being... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
Licensed Firearm Dealer Faces Gun Smuggling Charge in Philippines
28 July 2011
ABS-CBN News (Manila)
MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has filed smuggling charges and charges for unauthorized importation of 'weapons of war and parts' before the Department of Justice (DOJ) against a gun store owner who uses balikbayan boxes in allegedly illegally bringing in firearms and ammunition.
Mark Louie Mendoza, a resident of La Loma, Manila, and owner of Last Resort Armaments based in Makati City, was named respondent in the case. The BOC says he is a consignee... (GunPolicy.org)
Stolen Guns Could Soon Be on Sale on Australian Black Market - Police
5 July 2011
Fraser Coast Chronicle (Australia)
An arsenal of stolen guns is in the hands of criminals and could soon be on sale to the highest bidder on the Fraser Coast.
Six guns were stolen in the early hours of yesterday morning along with a car belonging to the guns' registered owner, who was preparing to transport them to a gun dealer in Brisbane.
The weapons were locked in secure receptacles inside the car and were not visible, a police spokesman said.
The missing weapons join those stolen when a firearm... (GunPolicy.org)
After Mexican Scandal, Should US Feds Firearm Bureau Continue to Exist?
4 July 2011
New York Times
WASHINGTON — The last time the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was caught up in scandal, its director faced accusations of lavish spending on his new office. Before he resigned, Congress, flexing its oversight muscles, decided the Senate would confirm all future A.T.F. chiefs.
That was five years ago. Nobody has been confirmed, and the nation has been without a chief firearms inspector ever since.
Today, the bureau is again under... (GunPolicy.org)
Palestine,Libya,Chad,Sudan,Egypt
Smuggled, Stolen and Homemade, Guns Flood Egypt's Streets
27 June 2011
Al Masry Al Youm (Egypt)
A new conversation has been taking place around Egypt for the past five months, one that rarely came up before. How do you acquire a firearm?
With rising crime rates and an ongoing security vacuum since 28 January, the smuggling, manufacturing, and purchasing of weapons is on the rise.The insecurity has generated new clients and markets in a country where previously one rarely heard of civilians carrying personal weapons. The persistent security vacuum has sparked a... (GunPolicy.org)
Badly Flawed US Background Check System Fails to Contain Gun Sales
23 June 2011
Center for Public Integrity / iWatch News (USA)
Like many states, Maine depends on the FBI to conduct background checks of people who want to acquire firearms from the state's federally licensed gun dealers.
And like many states, Maine is a slacker in supplying the records that the FBI depends on to run those checks.
That's how Raymond Geisel got his guns, including a Glock Model 17 pistol and a semi-automatic version of the AK-47 assault rifle. Geisel had previously been committed to a psychiatric hospital in... (GunPolicy.org)
Tragic Sequel After Sydney Gun Dealer Sold Bullets to Unlicensed Shooter
6 June 2011
Sydney Morning Herald
The offence may sound trivial but the consequences proved fatal. When George Petas, a licensed firearms dealer and official with the Sydney Pistol Club, sold two boxes of ammunition to an unlicensed shooter, he did not realise he was breaking the law, his lawyer told the court.
Seventy of the 100 rounds he sold for $16 were used in a so-called training shoot at the La Perouse range one day last August. But the unlicensed shooter, Shamin Fernando, 43, walked out of the... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Unlawful Gun Dealer Faces a Sentence in US Federal Prison
30 May 2011
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
When Oliver King was arrested outside a storage locker packed with high-end, military-style weapons, he had, if cast in a particular light, all it would take to be a villain in a half-cooked terror thriller.
Instead, as the investigation rolled on, federal authorities found King to be an entirely different sort. Rather than some sort of jet-set gunrunner, they had collared an odd man with a failed business, a tendency toward exaggeration – records show he once... (GunPolicy.org)
Justifiable Killings by Police and Private Citizens Rise in Virginia and the US
29 May 2011
Richmond Times-Dispatch (Virginia)
The number of justifiable killings committed by police and private citizens has been trending upward over the past decade, rising in 2009 to their highest levels in more than a dozen years in both Virginia and the nation.
There are no definitive answers to what is causing more law-enforcement officers and individuals to use deadly force in dealing with crime. But some criminologists say changing attitudes about the circumstances in which lethal force can be used in... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Owners Set Up Trusts to Avoid US Machine Gun Background Checks
25 May 2011
CNN
PRESTONBURG, Kentucky -- For Benjamin Ferguson, the Dewey Lake Fish and Gun Club brings back memories. As a child, Ferguson came to the modest gun range in rural Floyd County, Kentucky, to learn gun safety so he could go deer hunting with his family.
Now, the Army veteran and drug counselor has children of his own, six in total. He passes along knowledge about gun operation and safety and encourages his children to explore the guns -- safely, of course.
"It's... (GunPolicy.org)
American Guns in Mexico, 2 Rival Perspectives: Government and US Gun Lobby
21 May 2011
Wall Street Journal
Late on the night of March 8, 2008, a Mexican military patrol in the northern city of Chihuahua responded to neighbors' complaints about armed men. The soldiers, part of Mexico's ongoing effort to curb narco-trafficking violence, were met with a fusillade of grenades and gunfire. In the end, six men whom officials described as members of a drug gang lay dead.
On the government side, five soldiers were injured and one, Capt. David Mendoza Gómez, was killed. Mexican... (GunPolicy.org)
As Syrian Violence is Escalating, Guns Black Market Flourishes in Lebanon
14 May 2011
al Jazeera
As the Syrian uprisings escalate in violence, Lebanon's black market in arms is flourishing, with prices of light and medium weapons driven higher by Lebanese and Syrian demand.
"Prices have tripled in less than two months," says Wael, a local arms dealer, whose name has been changed to protect his identity.
According to local dealers, Syrians have been crossing the borders into neighbouring Lebanon to purchase weapons since late January, when the country erupted with... (GunPolicy.org)
Some Gun Owners in Mexico Defy the Law to Defend Themselves
13 May 2011
KHOU-TV (Houston, Texas)
CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico – Despite strict gun-control laws in Mexico, crime scenes are riddled with bullet holes. Both drug cartels and common criminals have guns. Now more private citizens are arming themselves for protection, even if it means breaking the law.
"People are desperate," said Rogelio "Chief" Bravo, a private investigator in El Paso who has worked for clients just across the border in Ciudad Juarez too. "They're telling the government, if you can't... (GunPolicy.org)
Washington Woman Sues US Govt Over Delay in Buying a Handgun
11 May 2011
WTOP TV News (Washington DC)
WASHINGTON - Michelle Lane is tired of waiting to get her guns, so she's going to federal court.
WTOP was first to report that Lane and all D.C. residents are temporarily unable to register handguns. The reason: The only licensed firearm dealer in the District is temporarily out of business because he lost his lease.
Federal law prohibits individuals from buying handguns in one state and transferring them to another state. That can only be facilitated by a licensed... (GunPolicy.org)
US Appeals Court Shoots Down New York City Gun Shop Oversight Plan
4 May 2011
Reuters
NEW YORK - New York City suffered a setback on Wednesday when a federal appeals court ordered it to make changes to a court-ordered plan to crack down on illegal sales at two gun shops in the U.S. South accused of violating federal gun-purchase laws.
The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals threw out an injunction subjecting the shops to New York City's stringent monitoring requirements, saying the plan failed to give the stores a clear idea of what constituted a... (GunPolicy.org)
New York Appeals Court Tosses Scheme to Stop Illegal Gun Dealer Sales
4 May 2011
New York Post
A Manhattan appeals court today shot down orders that imposed outside monitoring on two out-of-state gun dealers accused of having "New Yorkers' blood on their hands."
The U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals said "several portions" of the 2009 injunctions against Mickalis Pawn Shop and Adventure Outdoors were "insufficiently specific or overbroad" and ordered "further proceedings" to make them comply with federal rules.
The decision noted that the Brooklyn federal... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Gun Dealer Boasts He can't Keep Up with Demand in Lebanon
22 April 2011
Sydney Morning Herald
The Beiruti arms dealer Abu Jihad is more than an hour late to our pre-arranged meeting.
"I'm very sorry for the delay," says the balding father of four when he finally appears. "On the way here I made an unexpected sale. Two M16s."
Wearing green camouflage pants and a black parka, Abu Jihad sits down and reaches for the Smith & Wesson revolver strapped to his ankle. "I normally carry three weapons," he says, emptying the revolver of its bullets and spinning the... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Policing Agency Ignored Mexico Gun Running Warnings - Senator
15 April 2011
Reuters
U.S. federal agents encouraged an Arizona gun dealer to sell weapons to suspected traffickers for the Mexican drug cartels, even after the dealer warned they would end up in the hands of "bad guys," according to correspondence released by a U.S. senator.
Sen. Charles Grassley, an Iowa Republican, released excerpts from an e-mail from an unidentified Arizona gun dealer to a supervisory agent of a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives operation targeting... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Dealers Warned Feds US-Mexico Gun Running Sting Was Dangerous
15 April 2011
USA Today
Federal agents and prosecutors last year encouraged Arizona gun dealers to sell firearms to buyers for Mexican cartels even after the store owners fretted that weapons might be used to kill Border Patrol agents, according to e-mails obtained by Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa.
Grassley, ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said in a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder that the e-mails refute earlier Justice Department denials. The e-mails were exchanged... (GunPolicy.org)
Feds Urged Dealer to Continue Gun Sales Despite Concerns, Inquiry Finds
15 April 2011
Los Angeles Times
The investigation into a federal operation that allowed Mexican drug cartels to acquire U.S. weapons escalated Thursday with new revelations that an Arizona gun dealer repeatedly expressed fears that his guns were falling into the "hands of the bad guys" but was encouraged by federal agents to continue the sales.
A series of emails released by congressional investigators showed that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives encouraged the gun dealer... (GunPolicy.org)
Grassley Criticizes ATF's Conduct In Gun Probe
14 April 2011
Associated Press
PHOENIX — A licensed gun dealer in Arizona who was cooperating with federal agents in a gun smuggling probe told investigators that he was worried that firearms sold by his store could end up in the wrong hands.
The dealer's concerns are contained in a letter that Republican Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa wrote on Wednesday to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder as part of Grassley's inquiry into efforts to combat gun smuggling into Mexico. The Associated Press obtained... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Shop Owner Expressed Early Concerns in US 'Gunwalker' Scandal
14 April 2011
CBS News (USA)
Damning, newly-obtained emails show that a key gun shop owner made explicit concerns in writing last year in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms' "gunwalking" scandal.
Starting in late 2009, ATF allegedly directed an undetermined number of Phoenix-area gun shop owners to go ahead with sales of thousands of assault rifles and other weapons to suspicious buyers. Insiders claim ATF knew the buyers were connected to Mexico's drug cartels, but let the guns "walk"... (GunPolicy.org)
Legal Gun Owners, Dealers, Gun Shows Fuel Minneapolis Gun Violence
22 March 2011
Minnesota Public Radio, Transcript
MINNEAPOLIS — In January 2010, three men were gunned down during an apparent robbery attempt at the Seward Market in south Minneapolis. One of the victims worked at the store. The second victim was the clerk's cousin who stopped by to chat. The third was a man who just happened to walk in at the wrong time.
The report from the police homicide investigation shows that five shell casings found at the crime scene likely match a test casing provided by the maker of a... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico Needs US Congress to Halt America's Gun Trafficking to Drug Lords
21 March 2011
The Hill (Washington DC), Blog
These days in Washington, we hear a lot about our porous borders. Border security is fundamental to national security; it's true. But while there's been an excess of hand-wringing about breaches on the southern side of the U.S.-Mexico border, there's been precious little conversation about the public safety threat originating on the northern side.
The Mexican drug cartels are killing people at a staggering rate – more than 30,000 since 2006. Some may shrug their... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Gun Dealers Face US Charges Involving Tens of Thousands of AK47s
20 February 2011
Guardian (UK)
His lawyers contend he is a model citizen. And as a successful businessman, Gary Hyde certainly exudes an aura of respectability. For years the 41-year-old father of two was a volunteer police officer in his home town of York, until a serious injury forced him to retire. "He is an upstanding and respected member of that community," his lawyers argued last week.
But now another picture of Hyde is emerging. A man who had turned his enthusiasm for guns and military... (GunPolicy.org)
Assault Rifles Fly off Shelves as Arizona Gun Dealers Arm Mexican Gangs
20 February 2011
Tucson Citizen (Arizona)
A man approaches the counter at a Glendale gun store and asks for five AK-47 rifles.
Three days later, he returns and buys seven pistols. Two weeks later, he buys 20 more AK-47s.
Over the next several months, federal agents say, the same man, Uriel Patino of Phoenix, will return to Lone Wolf Trading Co. 18 times, buying a total of 42 handguns and 190 semiautomatic rifles.
Patino tells store clerks that all 232 guns are for his personal use.
But federal authorities... (GunPolicy.org)
Florida Gun Dealer Gets 3yrs Jail for Selling Illegal Machine Gun Parts
19 February 2011
Associated Press
FORT PIERCE, Florida - A Florida gun dealer has been sentenced to more than three years in prison for selling parts to convert weapons into fully automatic machine guns.
A federal judge in Fort Pierce imposed the sentence Friday on 47-year-old Edward Todd Basile of Okeechobee. Basile pleaded guilty to two federal firearms charges in December.
Prosecutors say Basile sold an informant parts to convert legal semiautomatic weapons such as an AR-15 rifle into an automatic... (GunPolicy.org)
Judge: UK Gun Dealer Must Stay in New York to Await Gun Running Trial
15 February 2011
Washington Post
ROCHESTER, New York - A British arms dealer was denied permission Tuesday to return home while awaiting trial in western New York on charges of scheming to import banned Chinese assault rifle parts.
U.S. District Judge Charles Siragusa ordered Gary Hyde of York, England, to remain in the Rochester area in a case involving a trio of gun dealers that could shed light on the illicit global arms trade.
The 41-year-old Hyde pleaded not guilty to the charges last week,... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Dealer Illegally Sold Weapon to Utah Mass Killer, Says Lawyer
14 February 2011
Associated Press
SALT LAKE CITY — The lawyer for a woman wounded in a deadly Utah shooting spree argued Monday that a pawn shop shouldn't have sold the gun to the 18-year-old shooter because it was equipped with a pistol grip, making it illegal to sell to minors.
Carolyn Tuft, whose daughter died in the 2007 shooting at Trolley Square in Salt Lake City, is suing the pawn shop that sold one of the guns that authorities say Sulejman Talovic used during the attack.
Talovic, a Bosnian... (GunPolicy.org)
Iraq,United States,United Kingdom
New York, UK, German Gun Dealers' Links to Global Arms Trafficking Deal
13 February 2011
Democrat and Chronicle (New York)
In May 2007 a British firearms dealer — Mil Tec Marketing Inc. — signed off on a contract to supply weapons parts to a Florida-based company that provides munitions and equipment to the U.S. military and other national defenses.
Under that agreement, weaponry and accessories would have ended up in Iraq for the war effort. But the British firm was unable to meet the contractual promises. Oddly, an ensuing spat between the companies is the seed of an international... (GunPolicy.org)
West Virginia Gun Dealer Promotes Firearms as Ideal Valentine's Day Gift
12 February 2011
WBOY-TV News (West Virginia)
MORGANTOWN - David Helms of Marstiller Gun Store says for the past 20 years he's worked there, he's noticed the trend.
"A lot of woman are buy their fella a gun, and then a lot of guys are buying their wife or girlfriends guns, even granddaughters," Helms said.
According to the FBI gun statistics, firearms background checks in West Virginia have increased from more than 20,000 in the past five years.
The store says it sees an increase in the amount of gun sales not... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany,United Kingdom,Portugal,China,United States,Europe
Gun Runner Turns on Licensed Dealers in UK/US/Europe Trafficking Case
10 February 2011
Associated Press
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - A sudden plea agreement in a federal prosecution of a trio of international weapons dealers has heightened momentum in a case that could shed light on the illicit global arms trade, including irregularities in U.S.-backed shipments of assault rifles to Iraq.
Gun dealer Karl Kleber, a German national who had been living in Portugal, pleaded guilty Wednesday in a U.S. district courtroom, admitting to violating federal arms laws in a scheme to import... (GunPolicy.org)
Alabama Porn Shop, Gun Dealer Swap Valentine's Day Sex Toys for Guns
10 February 2011
Agence France Presse
A shop in the US state of Alabama today launched a Valentine's Day offer it hopes will trigger a large response in a limp economy: customers can swap their guns for sex toys.
"In today's economy, this is a way of helping people who may feel they can't afford something for Valentine's Day," said Sherri Williams, the owner of the "Pleasures" sex toy shop, where assorted erotica during the next week can be obtained in exchange for cast-off firearms.
"This way, they can... (GunPolicy.org)
Sri Lanka,Zimbabwe,Côte d'Ivoire
Is Zimbabwe Illegally Supplying Guns, Ammunition to Côte d'Ivoire?
31 January 2011
Institute for Security Studies (Pretoria)
On 23 January, the Sunday Times in the UK reported that in the dying days of 2010 the Zimbabwe government clandestinely transferred arms to incument President Laurent Gbagbo's administration in the Ivory Coast.
The arms consignment allegedly comprised small arms, mortars and ammunition, which was mainly of Chinese origin. The transfer was facilitated by the state-owned Zimbabwe Defence Industries (ZDI), and was supposedly dispatched with the blessing of Zimbabwean... (GunPolicy.org)
New York City Sting Videotapes More Illegal Sales at Arizona Gun Show
31 January 2011
New York Times
PHOENIX — Weeks after a shooting left six dead and 13 injured in Tucson, New York City sent undercover investigators to an Arizona gun show and found instances in which private sellers sold semiautomatic pistols even after buyers said they probably could not pass background checks, city officials said.
The investigation, part of an effort by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg's administration to crack down on illegal gun sales nationwide, took place Jan. 23 at the... (GunPolicy.org)
Judge's 'Appalling' Ruling Clouds Key Gun Safety Statutes in California
31 January 2011
Sacramento Bee (California)
Ten short days after Jared Lee Loughner went on his rampage in Tucson, Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Hamilton of Fresno struck down a law that sought to provide Californians with protection against criminals intent on buying handgun ammunition.
Hamilton's timing was appalling. His reasoning was muddled.
The law sought to require that people buying handgun ammunition provide identification and a thumbprint, starting Tuesday.
That information would be compared against a... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Dealer Guilty in US-Canada Gun Smuggling, Licence Forging Scheme
26 January 2011
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
A federal jury in Seattle has convicted a Vancouver, B.C., man accused of illegally dealing high-end firearms, the U.S. Attorney's Office for Western Washington reported. Returning their verdict Wednesday afternoon, jurors convicted Oliver King -- a Canadian citizen who previously lost his license to deal guns in that country -- on five counts related to the trafficking and possession of nearly two dozen firearms.
King, 35, was arrested in May after federal agents... (GunPolicy.org)
Congress Should Improve US Gun Control Background Checks, Database
26 January 2011
Times-Tribune (Pennsylvania), Editorial
For all the debate and controversy following the recent deadly rampage in Tucson, Ariz. a few weeks ago, there is no doubt that alleged killer and would-be assassin Jared Loughner should not have been able to acquire the semi-automatic Glock 19 and high-capacity magazines used in the shooting spree.
Under federal law, a database known as the National Instant Criminal Background Check System is supposed to include the names of mentally ill people, violent and drug... (GunPolicy.org)
One of Arizona's Top Exports is Guns for Mexico Drug Cartels, Say US Feds
26 January 2011
Wall Street Journal
PHOENIX — Federal officials said Tuesday they busted a network of gun buyers and smugglers planning to ship 700 guns to Mexican drug cartels embroiled in deadly turf wars.
Law-enforcement officials arrested 17 people named in a 53-count indictment unsealed Tuesday. Police were still searching for three other people named in the indictment.
"The drug cartels go shopping for their war weapons in Arizona," said Dennis Burke, U.S. attorney for the District of Arizona.... (GunPolicy.org)
Russian Arms Dealer's Trial Resumes Amid Calls for Global Arms Treaty
21 January 2011
Voice of America
Alleged Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout makes a second appearance in a New York court Friday, where he is accused of offering to supply arms to terrorists and rebels in Africa. Oxfam, an International non-governmental organization fighting poverty and injustice, says the Bout case shows why there is an urgent need for global rules on arms trade.
The charges against Viktor Bout stem from a 2008 U.S. sting operation in which authorities say Bout tried to sell weapons to... (GunPolicy.org)
Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
Globalisation and the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons
15 January 2011
Eurasia Review
In June 2010, the representatives of all United Nations (UN) Member States came together at the Biennial Meeting of States in New York to consider the implementation of the 2001 Programme of Action (POA) on the illicit trade in small arms. The program was initiated in July 2001 to keep a check on the ever-growing illicit trade on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) and to help countries, combat this pernicious problem. While the forum has worked continuously for the... (GunPolicy.org)
Arizona Shootings Add to Notoriety, Desirability of Glock Semi-auto Pistol
15 January 2011
New York Times
New York City police officers carry Glock pistols, and rappers wax eloquent about them. Movie stars brandish Glocks, too.
"Get yourself a Glock and lose that nickel-plated sissy pistol," Tommy Lee Jones said in the 1998 movie "U.S. Marshals."
When Saddam Hussein was captured in a hole in the ground in Iraq, soldiers found his Glock pistol inside. It was later presented to President George W. Bush, who displayed it in the Oval Office as a treasured souvenir.... (GunPolicy.org)
Arizona Mass Shooting Renews Issue of Mental Illness Gun Screenings
10 January 2011
Reuters
The deadly shooting spree in Tucson, Arizona, has renewed questions about a U.S. system that relies on personal background checks at the time of gun sales to keep firearms out of the hands of disturbed people.
Despite evidence that the suspect in Saturday's rampage, Jared Lee Loughner, engaged in bizarre, disruptive behavior well before the shooting, police said he legally purchased the gun used in the attack at a sporting goods store.
"The troubles of the Tucson... (GunPolicy.org)
Utah Gun Show Patrons Lament Mass Shooting, Fear/Decry Gun Control
9 January 2011
Salt Lake Tribune (Utah)
SANDY - They came to the Crossroads of the West Gun Show on Sunday carrying rifles and pistols and many a heavy heart over the shooting Saturday in Tucson.
Like most Americans, Utah's firearm enthusiasts were quick to condemn the senseless rampage that left six people dead and 14 people wounded including U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., who now is fighting for her life.
Yet for a number of the gun owners who wandered among the hundreds of displays of shotguns,... (GunPolicy.org)
Licensed Florida Gun Dealer, Son Get 6mths Jail for Selling Guns to Felon
6 January 2011
Walton Sun (Florida)
PANAMA CITY — A former Washington County commissioner and his son were sentenced to prison Wednesday for selling firearms to a convicted felon.
Federal Judge Richard Smoak sentenced the former commissioner, Ronnie B. Finch, and son Victor to six months in prison, three years probation and fined $3,000. The two defendants had signed a plea agreement with federal prosecutors in November after they allegedly sold firearms to a convicted felon.
According to court... (GunPolicy.org)
Convicted Arms Dealer Helps Feds Track US-Mexico Gun Trafficking Route
4 January 2011
United Press International
HOUSTON - A convicted Houston gun trafficker is providing U.S. agents information about a Mexican drug cartel for which he admitted supplying arms, court documents show.
As part of his plea agreement, Christian Garza was sentenced to three years in federal prison and received leniency in exchange for telling U.S. officials about his criminal contacts, The Houston Chronicle reported Tuesday.
Garza also provided information about firearms sales to "highly sought... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,China,Albania,Afghanistan
US Gun Dealer Gets 4yrs for $300 Million Pentagon Afghan Ammo Fraud
3 January 2011
Associated Press
MIAMI - A youthful arms dealer whose company once boasted a $300 million Pentagon munitions contract was sentenced Monday to four years in federal prison for trying to ship millions of rounds of prohibited Chinese-made ammunition to Afghan forces fighting alongside U.S. troops.
U.S. District Judge Joan Lenard imposed the sentence on 25-year-old Efraim Diveroli, who faced a maximum of five years behind bars after pleading guilty in 2009 to a fraud conspiracy charge.... (GunPolicy.org)
Accused Russian Gun Runner Viktor Bout Tells of His Life in New York Jail
3 January 2011
RIA Novosti (Russia)
Suspected Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, extradited from Thailand to the United States in mid-November, has given an interview to RIA Novosti.
Former Russian armed forces officer Bout was arrested in Thailand in March 2008 during a sting operation led by U.S. agents and extradited to the United States after spending more than two and half years in Thai prisons. The charges against him include conspiring to supply arms to terrorist groups and kill U.S. nationals. Bout... (GunPolicy.org)
Texas Students Fight Gun Lobby Push for Teens to Carry Guns at School
29 December 2010
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal (Texas)
Several groups, including a university student government organization and a prominent gun-control lobby, this week filed a document in federal court asking a judge to uphold the current ban on handgun sales to people younger than 21.
The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, Graduate Student Assembly and Student Government of the University of Texas at Austin, Mothers Against Teen Violence, Students for Gun-Free Schools in Texas and Texas Chapters of the Brady... (GunPolicy.org)
Licensed Ontario Gun Dealer Arrested, 'Every Class of Firearm' Seized
22 December 2010
Dryden Observer (Ontario)
On Mon., Dec. 13, the Dryden Police Service (DPS), with the assistance of the Provincial Weapons Enforcement Unit, executed a public safety warrant for firearms on a home on Park Crescent in Dryden.
As a result of this joint investigation a 71-year old male of Dryden, a licensed firearms dealer, has been charged with careless storage of a non-restricted firearm, two counts of careless storage of a prohibited firearm, two counts of careless storage of a restricted... (GunPolicy.org)
Arizona Gun Dealer No. 1 Supplier for US-Mexico Crime Gun Smuggling
20 December 2010
ABC News (USA)
GLENDALE, Arizona - The Washington Post recently tracked the number of guns found at Mexican crime scenes which were traced back to gun shops in the United States.
They found that the Lone Wolf Trading Company in Glendale topped the list nationwide.
The Washington Post said Lone Wolf took the number one slot for Mexican traces after it found that 185 guns recovered in Mexico were traced back to their store over the past two years.
The Post also said Lone Wolf came in... (GunPolicy.org)
50 Banned US Gun Store Owners Just Rename, Continue Selling Firearms
15 December 2010
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Wisconsin)
Revocation by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is supposed to be the end for a lawbreaking gun store. A Journal Sentinel investigation found more than 50 revoked gun dealers across the country that continue to be connected closely to gun-dealing operations.
The cases show how easy it is for revoked dealers to remain connected to a current gun-dealing operation. In the examples below, an owner or an employee confirmed there was a close... (GunPolicy.org)
NRA-led Gun Lobby Wields Powerful Influence Over Feds, US Politics
15 December 2010
Washington Post
Behind the scenes, federal agents in charge of stopping gun trafficking to Mexico have quietly advanced a plan to help stem the smuggling of high-powered AK-47s and AR-15s to the bloody drug war south of the border.
The controversial proposal by officials at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives calls for a measure strongly opposed by the National Rifle Association: requiring gun dealers to report multiple sales of rifles and shotguns to ATF.
The gun... (GunPolicy.org)
Violence Runs Rampant as More Texas Guns Traced to Mexico Drug Crime
15 December 2010
Washington Post
No other state has produced more guns seized by police in the brutal Mexican drug wars than Texas. In the Lone Star State, no other city has more guns linked to Mexican crime scenes than Houston. And in the Texas oil town, no single independent dealer stands out more for selling guns traced from south of the border than Bill Carter.
Carter, 76, has operated four Carter's Country stores in the Houston metropolitan area over the past half-century. In the past two years,... (GunPolicy.org)
Ineffective Federal Rules Allow Scofflaw US Gun Dealers to Go On Selling
15 December 2010
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Wisconsin)
Hobbled by Congress, federal watchdogs rarely revoke the licenses of lawbreaking gun dealers. And when they do, stores can easily beat the system by having a relative, friend or employee pull a fresh license - something that routinely happens across the country, a Journal Sentinel investigation has found.
The newspaper identified more than 50 stores in 20 states over the past six years where such a move was made, wiping the operation's slate clean. The newspaper's... (GunPolicy.org)
Notorious Wisconsin Gun Dealer Apparently Lacks Permit to Trade in Arms
14 December 2010
Green Bay Press Gazette (Wisconsin)
A Green Bay gun dealer linked to shootings at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University is working with the city to have his business properly licensed.
Eric Thompson of TGSCOM Inc., which began as an online dealership at 1449 S. Broadway, needs a city permit to engage in retail sales. The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives noted in a recent inspection of Thompson's business that it did not have the proper permit.
The Green Bay Plan... (GunPolicy.org)
Licensed Texas Gun Dealer in US-Mexico Drug Cartel Gun Running Probe
14 December 2010
Washington Post
A federal grand jury in Houston is investigating a clerk for one of the largest independent gun retailers in Texas for allegedly making illegal sales of firearms that landed in the hands of Mexican drug cartels, a criminal attorney for the gun store said Monday.
Carter's Country received a grand jury subpoena in January for thousands of gun-sales records since 2006 and is cooperating, said criminal defense attorney Dick DeGuerin, who has been hired by the retailer and... (GunPolicy.org)
Loophole Allows US Gun Shops to Trade Long After Feds Revoke Licence
14 December 2010
Washington Post
About a hundred times a year, regulators strip gun dealers of their licenses for violations of federal law, an extreme step taken only when repeated infractions are deemed a threat to public safety.
But a year-long Washington Post investigation documented about 60 cases since 2003 in which the businesses stayed open, often re-licensed through relatives, employees, associates or newly formed companies.
"We'll just have to play musical licenses," the owner of the... (GunPolicy.org)
Michigan Gun Dealer Acquitted on Federal Charge 'Linked to Extremists'
13 December 2010
Daily Telegram (Michigan)
ADRIAN, Michigan — A federal jury has acquitted firearms dealer Walter L. Priest of Adrian of a felony rifle charge that Priest said he believes resulted from legal sales to members of a local militia group involved in federal raids earlier this year.
Priest's attorney said the jury in Detroit took less than three hours to return its verdict on Thursday.
Priest, 53, had been accused of illegally possessing a rifle with an altered or obliterated serial number.... (GunPolicy.org)
Licensed Florida Gun Dealer a National Leader in Police Crime Gun Traces
13 December 2010
Times-Union (Florida)
A Jacksonville gun dealer that bustled with customers Monday has been ranked 10th in the nation for traces of firearms recovered by police, according to a study released by the Washington Post.
Shooters Firearms and Accessories on University Boulevard West sold 1,320 guns that were traced back to it as the point of origin, according to the nationwide study by the Post.
The newspaper obtained the names of the gun dealers nationwide with the most traces over the past... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Shop Owner Deflects Dubious '3rd in USA Crime Guns' Distinction
13 December 2010
WRTV News (Indianapolis)
INDIANAPOLIS - A well-known Indianapolis gun dealer is near the top of the national rankings in a dubious category.
According to records obtained by The Washington Post, Don's Guns and Galleries ranked third in the nation for the number of firearms recovered by police, 6News' Jack Rinehart reported.
The Indianapolis Metro Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives check the history of every firearm associated with criminal... (GunPolicy.org)
Maine Should Follow Law, Require Background Checks on All Gun Sales
8 December 2010
Portland Press Herald (Maine), Opinion
PORTLAND — Since before "Bert and I," Mainers have been proud of their common sense and common decency.
But when the subject is guns, this respect for community often gives way to more self-centered views.
Making safer our food, water, air or job sites is fine, but making gun ownership safer for us all is widely perceived as an assault on inalienable and absolute personal rights.
The social cost of this somewhat paranoid attitude has been detailed graphically in... (GunPolicy.org)
Feds Target US Gun Show Trafficking, Seize 100s of Guns, Charge Ex Cop
7 December 2010
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Federal agents have seized hundreds of guns in a series of raids against suspected gun dealers, including a retired cop and another man thought to have sold the gun used to kill a Seattle police officer.
According to recently unsealed court documents, federal agents last month conducted a series of stings against four men thought to be illegally dealing firearms at Western Washington gun shows. Court documents suggest that several of the men were sold hundreds of... (GunPolicy.org)
20 Handguns Stolen from Dead Australian Gun Dealer's Storage Locker
6 December 2010
Daily Telegraph (Sydney)
In the past year police have seized 3,200 firearms. And while shootings are in decline - 96 in 2008, 86 last year and 42 in the first half of this year - figures from the Australian Institute of Criminology show theft of guns is increasing.
In 2007-08 1712 firearms were reported stolen by owners in 708 incidents, an increase of 186 from the previous year. Most of these thefts netted one or two firearms, primarily from private homes.
Dr Samantha Bricknell from the... (GunPolicy.org)
