Gun Policy News
Gun running and illicit weapons - Gun Policy News
Bahamas,Caribbean
UN Provides Small Arms Destruction Equipment to the Bahamas
21 May 2012
UN Dispatch (New York)
NEW YORK - In May, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, through its Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, provided a set of small arms destruction equipment to the Bahamas and trained national officers on the use of the equipment. These activities aim to strengthen the capacity of the Bahamas to combat the illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons nationally, as well as in the Caribbean region.... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: UN Dispatch (New York)
36150
Brazil,Turkey,China,Pakistan,Central Asia,Russia,Afghanistan
Where Do 20 Million Illegal Guns Come From? Afghanistan, Says Pakistan
17 May 2012
Express Tribune (Pakistan)
KARACHI - There are an estimated 20 million illegal arms in circulation in Pakistan.
This includes serious firepower: law enforcement authorities are increasingly coming under attack from criminals and terrorists armed with heavy weapons such as grenades (including rocket-propelled ones), long-range sniper rifles and machine guns. The volatile situation in Lyari was a case in point, where despite the fact that police were equipped with tank-like armoured personnel... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Express Tribune (Pakistan)
36145
Vietnam,China
Black Market Handguns Advertised Openly in Remote Regions of China
17 May 2012
South China Morning Post (Hong Kong)
Black market explosives and pistols are advertised openly in the remote, mountainous Yunnan county where a mysterious suicide bomber killed three people and injured 16 last week, the South China Morning Post can reveal.
Most advertisers claim they can arrange delivery by car within an hour in central Kunming , the provincial capital, with guns handed over outside supermarkets and post offices.
Some advertisers also said they had delivery networks in remote counties.... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: South China Morning Post (Hong Kong)
36133
Egypt,United States
Man Who Began Smuggling 1,000 Guns to Egypt Arrested in Florida
16 May 2012
Orlando Sentinel (Florida)
Federal authorities arrested a man in Orlando this week who allegedly told an undercover agent that he wanted to smuggle up to 1,000 firearms to Egypt.
Gamel Saad was arrested following a sting Monday. According to a criminal complaint, Saad bought three handguns from an undercover agent, wrapped them in towels, and put them inside a shipment of car parts he was sending to Egypt.
Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives began investigating... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Orlando Sentinel (Florida)
36130
Mexico,United States
Mexican Couple Admit to 27,000-round Ammo Cache in Texas
15 May 2012
Reuters
Two illegal immigrants pleaded guilty in Texas on Monday to possessing 27,000 rounds of assault rifle ammunition along the U.S.-Mexico border, where cross-border weapons smuggling has increased in recent years, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
Police in Laredo, Texas, discovered the ammunition after they stopped a Dodge Ram pickup truck that failed to stop at a stop sign in March, U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson said in a statement.
Weapons traffickers along the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Reuters
36135
Bahamas
Stricter Gun Control Strategy in Bahamas to Counter Rise in Gun Trafficking
14 May 2012
Eleutheran (Bahamas)
NASSAU -- The Government of The Bahamas will introduce a National Firearms
Control Strategy to counter the proliferation of illegal firearms within the country, Minister of
National Security Dr. the Hon. Bernard B.J. Nottage said Monday.
Dr. Nottage said violence associated with the use of those firearms will be reduced as a result of the Strategy. Dr. Nottage said the National Strategy, along with an improved gun registry, the marking and tracing of weapons, improved... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Eleutheran (Bahamas)
36125
Belgium,Morocco
Morocco Breaks Up Terrorist Cell, Stops Related Gun Trafficking [Francais]
13 May 2012
Le Matin (Morocco)
[Translated summary: On Saturday, the chief of the national police brigade during the presentation of seized firearms, said to the press that the dismantling last saturday of a terrorist cell that was active in several cities of the Kingdom, directed by an influential member of the terrorist organisation called "movement of the moudjahidines in Morocco, led to the arrest of 15 people and the seizure of several firearms. He further indicated that these firearms had been... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Le Matin (Morocco)
36129
France
Arms Trafficking in French Prison: 6 Men Sentenced [Francais]
11 May 2012
Europe 1 (France)
[Translated Summary: Sentences ranging from 18 months to 4 years of prison were requested on Friday in front of the Pontoise Correctional Tribunal, to six men judged for trafficking weapons of war. Two of the men were accused of organising these transactions from their prison cells using a mobile phone.]
Des peines de 18 mois à 4 ans de prison ont été requises vendredi devant le tribunal correctionnel de Pontoise contre six hommes jugés pour un trafic d'armes de... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Europe 1 (France)
36141
Burundi,Tanzania,Rwanda,East Africa,Uganda,Kenya
Lack of Arms Trade Treaty Puts East Africa at Centre of Gun Trafficking
8 May 2012
New Vision (Kampala)
A total of 300,000 small arms and light weapons have been smuggled into Uganda and other East African community countries for the last 10 years.
This is as revealed by the executive secretary East Africa Action Network on small arms (EAANSA), Richard Mugisha has revealed.
Mugisha said the importation of illegal small arms was high in East Africa due to the existing arms embargoes which are too easy to break or ignore by different countries.
"How can the sale of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New Vision (Kampala)
36110
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea MPs Urged to Set Example by Handing In Their Guns
2 May 2012
Pacific Islands News Association (Fiji)
Gun smuggling in Papua New Guinea (PNG) is a multi-million kina business which police are powerless to deal with, Deputy Police Commissioner Simon Kauba says.
And he had suggested that parliament implement the recommendations of the guns summit committee to address the problem to some extent.
Parliamentarians raised concern last week over the serious issue of firearms build-up in the country, especially in the highlands provinces, on the eve of the national... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Pacific Islands News Association (Fiji)
36103
South America,Asia,Turkey,United Kingdom,Mexico,United States
Proposal to Relax Export Restrictions on Firearms in U.S. Unpopular
2 May 2012
Wall Street Journal
U.S. homeland-security and law-enforcement agencies have objected to
Obama administration proposals to relax export restrictions on
high-powered firearms, threatening a centerpiece of the president's
trade and national-security agenda.
The agencies, in internal memos viewed by The Wall Street Journal,
warn the changes could help arm drug cartels and terrorists and make
it harder for the U.S. to crack down on gun-trafficking.
The arms proposal is part of a broader... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Wall Street Journal
36097
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)
Read More: Dawn (Karachi)
36091
Australia
Queensland About Face: Mandatory Sentences for Illegal Gun Possession
30 April 2012
Brisbane Times (Queensland)
Illegal firearm traffickers will face a mandatory minimum term of five years in jail, with the Newman government spelling out reforms to clamp down on bikie-related crime in Queensland.
Premier Campbell Newman's embrace of a raft of mandatory minimum sentences mark a shift since last year, when the Liberal National Party leader explained why they were a bad idea.
His post cabinet-announcement of tougher penalties for serious offences comes in the wake of Saturday's... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Brisbane Times (Queensland)
36086
Australia
Australian Authorities to Crack Down on Illegal Arms Trade
27 April 2012
ABC News (Australia)
As New South Wales authorities grapple with the worst bikie war in decades, the Federal Government says it is determined to crack down on the illegal gun trade, and they have handguns in their sights.
While the bikie war rages, there there have been outbreaks of gun violence in other parts of the country as well.
On the eve of the 16th anniversary of the Port Arthur massacre, the Government has announced plans to amend Australia's gun laws.
National figures are... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: ABC News (Australia)
36084
Mexico,United States
Washington Says 68,000 Guns Seized in Mexico Were Traced Back to US
26 April 2012
Seattle Times / AP
WASHINGTON — The government said Thursday that 68,000 guns recovered by Mexican authorities in the past five years have been traced back to the United States.
The flood of tens of thousands of weapons underscores complaints from Mexico that the U.S. is responsible for arming the drug cartels plaguing its southern neighbor. Six years of violence between warring cartels have killed more than 47,000 people in Mexico.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Seattle Times / AP
36080
Kenya
Kenya Major Transit Point for Arms Trafficking in East Africa
25 April 2012
Star (Kenya)
Kenya is a major transit point for illegal weapons destined to war torn countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the East Africa Legislative Assembly has said. EALA speaker Abdirahin Abdi said this is due to Kenya's strategic position through its port of Mombasa and other long porous borders with her neighbours.
Abdi was speaking in Mombasa when he officially opened a two day sensitisation forum on the need to support Small Arms And Light Weapons for parliamentary security,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Star (Kenya)
36077
Mexico,United States
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)
Read More: Houston Chronicle (Texas)
36074
Ghana
Increase in Number of Illegal Arms Circulating in Ghana
23 April 2012
Joy Online (Ghana)
One hundred and twenty-five thousand illicit guns are in circulation in the country without any form of data or record indicating where and who owns them, according to a baseline study in 2004.
According to the report, about 400,000 small arms are in circulation in the country. A little over half of the number 220,000 is in civilian hands. Only 95,000, representing 43.2 per cent, are registered, leaving a significant 56.8 per cent or 125,000 unaccounted for.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Joy Online (Ghana)
36062
East Africa
East African Community Passes Bill to Reduce Small Arms Trafficking
21 April 2012
Daily Nation (Nairobi)
A trade bill passed by the East African Community (EAC) Parliament to reduce the proliferation of small arms, narcotic drugs and other illegal goods could result in an improved economic climate for the region.
The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) last Thursday passed the East African Community Customs Management (Amendment) Bill, 2012, a modification of the East African Community Customs Management Act 2004.
The Bill anchors into law the need for regulatory... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Daily Nation (Nairobi)
36058
Canada
Temporary Injunction Preserves Canada Long-Gun Registry
20 April 2012
Montreal Gazette (Québec)
MONTREAL - The province's gun-control advocates were buoyed Friday by a strongly worded Quebec Superior Court judgment that recognized the recently abolished long-gun registry as an effective and economical crime prevention tool, laying the groundwork for a long legal battle with Ottawa.
The federal government reacted quickly and decisively, in what will no doubt lead to a Supreme Court show-down over the future of the divisive national registry. It said the ruling... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Montreal Gazette (Québec)
36060
West Africa,Ghana,Mali,Liberia
African Media Tasked to Assist Security Agencies Fight Arms Trafficking
20 April 2012
Ghana News Agency
Mr Jones Applerh, Executive Secretary, Small Arms and Light Weapons Commission, (SALW), on Friday appealed to the media to help security agencies control small arms proliferation in the country, especially before, during and after the December polls.
He urged the media to use the power of mass communication to expose the dangers of illicit proliferation of small arms into Ghana and other West African States.
Mr Applerh was addressing a three-day capacity building... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Ghana News Agency
36059
Nigeria
Nigerian Customs Import 5,000 AK-47 Rifles to Tackle Gun Smuggling
18 April 2012
Leadership (Abuja)
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has said that it has imported about 5,000 AK-47 assault rifles and two helicopters to be used in tackling proliferation of small arms by smugglers across the country's porous borders.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Abdullahi Dikko Inde, who disclosed this while speaking to State House Correspondents at the Presidential Villa in Abuja yesterday also said that Customs had purchase 400 units of Toyota Hilux vehicles approved by... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Leadership (Abuja)
36040
Netherlands,Germany,Austria,Hungary,Serbia,Eastern Europe,Belgium
Belgian Authorities Disband International Gun Trafficking Ring [Français]
17 April 2012
RTL (Belgium)
[Translated summary: Brussels Police and the Federal Prosecutor have dismantled an international gun trafficking network in cooperation with Serbian, Austrian, Hungarian and German authorities.]
La police judiciaire fédérale de Bruxelles et le parquet fédéral ont démantelé un réseau international de trafic d'armes. Huit personnes ont été arrêtées en Belgique et des armes à feu ont été saisies, des kalachnikovs et des explosifs destinés à... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RTL (Belgium)
36047
Trinidad & Tobago,Caribbean
Police Under Fire for Renting Guns to Criminals in Trinidad & Tobago
17 April 2012
Guardian (Trinidad and Tobago)
Law enforcement officers will be placed under greater scrutiny as Government moves to clamp down on those who sell or rent state-issued weapons to criminals. Minister of National Security John Sandy made the announcement at the Police Academy, St James, yesterday while delivering the feature address at the opening of a sub-regional inter-training course on combating the illicit trafficking in firearms and explosives for the Caribbean states. "Let me state categorically... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Guardian (Trinidad and Tobago)
36038
Australia
Australian Customs Should Be Embedded with Police to Tackle Gun Crisis
17 April 2012
Australian (Sydney) / AAP
Customs agents should be embedded within the NSW Police Force to tackle Sydney's escalating gun crisis, says Federal Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare.
In a five hour shooting spree last night, two tattoo parlours and three homes were sprayed with bullets.
Over four days there have been eight shootings across Sydney and 19 so far this month.
Mr Clare said a new firearms intelligence unit was needed to collect the intelligence gathered by Customs, and federal and... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Australian (Sydney) / AAP
36035
United States,Mexico
90% of Guns Seized in Mexico Traced Back to US - ATF 2009 Report
16 April 2012
Latin American Herald Tribune (Venezuela)
MEXICO CITY – An exhibit of photographs and art at a Mexico City museum seeks to draw attention to the impact of arms smuggled into Mexico from the United States and gather signatures for a campaign demanding that Washington put an end to arms trafficking.
"Adios a las armas. Contrabando en las fronteras" (Goodbye Firearms. Contraband at the Borders), which opened on Nov. 30 at Mexico City's Museum of Memory and Tolerance, has been seen by about 30,000 visitors,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Latin American Herald Tribune (Venezuela)
36031
Australia
Australia Launches New Firearm Intelligence Team to Trace Crime Guns
12 April 2012
Australian (Sydney) / AAP
A new Firearms Intelligence and Targeting Team is to be established to link all available information on illicit firearms in a move to tackle rising gun crime.
Home Affairs and Justice Minister Jason Clare said this was the same model used by Customs and Border Protection and other law enforcement agencies for counter-terrorism, counter-proliferation activities and illegal drug importation and it had proved highly effective.
Mr Clare said work would start immediately... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Australian (Sydney) / AAP
36020
United States,Canada
Canada Police Say Scrapping of Long-gun Registry 'Challenges' Tracing
12 April 2012
Winnipeg Free Press (Manitoba) / Canadian Press
OTTAWA - As it prepares to destroy millions of long-gun records, the RCMP says the Conservative government's decision to scrap the registry will make it tougher to trace firearms used to commit crimes.
The process that will lead to deletion of rifle and shotgun records in the registry is under way — with the exception of Quebec files at the centre of a court action, said Cpl. Laurence Trottier, an RCMP spokeswoman.
"It is a complex IT project involving the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Winnipeg Free Press (Manitoba) / Canadian Press
36016
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)
Read More: Think Africa Press (London)
36019
Ghana
Report Debunks that Ghana Smuggled Illegally Manufactured Guns
11 April 2012
Peace FM Online (Ghana)
The Ghana National Commission on Small Arms has debunked reports that Ghana smuggles illegally manufactured weapons to neighbouring countries.
This came to light when the commission undertook a survey to ascertain the veracity or otherwise of some reports by some ECOWAS member states that Ghana tops the list of West African countries who smuggle illegally manufactured arms to other countries.
Speaking to Citi News, the programmes officer at the Ghana National... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Peace FM Online (Ghana)
36010
Syria,Lebanon
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)
Read More: Ya Libnan (Lebanon)
36007
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)
Read More: New York Times / Reuters
36000
Mexico,United States
Man Pleads Guilty in Botched 'Fast and Furious' US Gun-running Sting
5 April 2012
Reuters
PHOENIX - A man pleaded guilty on Thursday to two felony counts of purchasing and running high-powered rifles to Mexico from Arizona under the botched "Fast and Furious" federal sting operation tied to the murder of a U.S. federal agent.
Jaime Avila Jr. was among a ring of 20 defendants charged with buying high-powered firearms including Kalashnikov type assault rifles and Barrett sniper rifles to run to the Mexican cartels.
The purchases were made in the Phoenix area... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Reuters
35988
Europe,Asia,South East Asia,China,United States
Gun Runners 'Using Internet and Express Delivery' in China – Police
5 April 2012
China Daily
Police success at border checkpoints forces arms traffickers to change
Gun smugglers are using the Internet and express delivery networks for trafficking arms into China, a police officer said.
Police broke up 69 gun-smuggling rings nationally last year, and smashed 20 gangs, Yan Zhengbin, deputy director at the public security management bureau under the Ministry of Public Security, told China Daily.
Nineteen cases involved fully assembled guns, while the remainder... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: China Daily
35982
United States,Mexico,Central America,Honduras,Guatemala,El Salvador
El Salvador Soldiers Accused of Selling Guns to Guatemala, Honduras Gangs
2 April 2012
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Prosecutors in El Salvador ordered the arrest of eight soldiers and one civilian linked to an arms trafficking network that may have supplied thousands of weapons to drug gangs in Guatemala and Honduras.
On March 30, the office of El Salvador's Attorney General (FGR) ordered the arrest of the nine suspects, alleging that they had participated in a scheme which involved siphoning off weapons that were slated to be destroyed, and selling them to drug trafficking... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: InSight Crime (Bogota)
35984
Jamaica
Jamaica Acquires Two Marking Machines to Help Stem Illegal Gun Trafficking
30 March 2012
Caribbean Press Releases
KINGSTON - The Government is to acquire two firearm marking machines to assist with efforts to stem the illegal trafficking in small arms.
The Dot Peen machines will allow the authorities to trace weapons by placing marks on them, which cannot be easily erased, should they fall into the possession of criminals.
They will be procured by the Ministry of National Security as part of a co-operation agreement with the Organization of American States (OAS), which was signed... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Caribbean Press Releases
35974
United States,Canada
Year's Jail, Life Ban for Vet Caught Smuggling Gun Parts US-Canada
29 March 2012
880 CKLQ AM (Manitoba)
A 47 year old former member of the military has been sentenced to one year in jail for smuggling a submachine gun part into Canada from the United States.
He did so by hiding it in a bag of empty beer cans when crossing the border on November 5th, 2011.
Cameron Eugene Bell says he was going to just display the parts of the gun as art.
Along with one year in jail he was sentenced to a 15 year firearms ban and lifetime restricted weapons... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: 880 CKLQ AM (Manitoba)
35967
Vietnam,Thailand,Singapore,Philippines,Myanmar,Malaysia,Laos,Indonesia,Cambodia,Brunei
Southeast Asian Nations Meet in Cambodia to Strengthen Small Arms Control
29 March 2012
Xinhua
PHNOM PENH -- The ASEAN security officials gathered here on Wednesday to seek effective measures for cooperation to prevent disasters caused by illegal arms smuggling and trafficking, said Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sar Kheng.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the three-day ASEAN workshop on Small Arms, Light Weapons and Unexploded Ordnances Control, Sar Kheng said the meeting was very important to identify effective measures for... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Xinhua
35964
Southern Africa,Malawi,Mozambique,Zambia,Zimbabwe
Interpol Blames Porous Borders for Gun Trafficking, Crimes in Southern Africa
28 March 2012
Newsday (Zimbabwe)
VICTORIA FALLS — The reluctance by regional countries to implement strict rules and guidelines of the Sadc protocol on firearms is hampering efforts to end the proliferation of small arms used in violent crimes.
This was revealed by the head of the Interpol Regional Bureau for Sadc, Chilika Simfukwe, yesterday on the sidelines of a workshop on the fight against the proliferation of small arms in the region.
"Almost all borders in the Sadc region are porous in this... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Newsday (Zimbabwe)
35959
Eastern Europe,France
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)
Read More: Christian Science Monitor
35957
Australia,Vanuatu
Vanuatu Lauded for UN Arms Trade Treaty Programmes
19 March 2012
Vanuatu Daily Post
PORT VILA, Vanuatu – Vanuatu was represented at the Pacific regional workshop on small arms and light weapons and the arms trade treaty.
This 3-day workshop, held in Australia at Brisbane's Novotel Hotel, was organized by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in conjunction with AusAID and Oxfam.
It was intended to provide a forum for discussion by Pacific Region representatives on the implementation of the UN Program of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Vanuatu Daily Post
35934
Indonesia,Papua New Guinea
More Rumours, No Evidence of Indonesia-Papua New Guinea Gun Running
19 March 2012
Pacific Islands News Association (Fiji Islands)
There is an arms build-up between Vanimo and Green River in the border areas of West Sepik province, a Papua New Guinea Customs official said.
He said intelligence indicated that guns were being smuggled into the country from five locations in Indonesia.
While there were customs operations in Vanimo and Wutung, "there is none in Bewani, Imonda, Kembratoro in Amanab and Green River".
"These are strategic locations, including open jungle where illegal trade and... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Pacific Islands News Association (Fiji Islands)
35931
Mexico,United States
Feds Caught Top Man in US-Mexico Drug Cartel Gun Running, Let Him Go
19 March 2012
Los Angeles Times
Federal agents stopped the main target of the ill-fated Operation Fast and Furious in May 2010. After they questioned him, he disappeared back into Mexico, and the program went on to spiral out of control.
WASHINGTON — Seven months after federal agents began the ill-fated Fast and Furious gun-tracking operation, they stumbled upon their main suspect in a remote Arizona outpost on the Mexican border, driving an old BMW with 74 rounds of ammunition and nine cellphones... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Los Angeles Times
35927
Mexico,United States
Legal US Gun Sales Arm Drug Cartels - Mexican Soldiers Take Weapons
15 March 2012
Reuters
Recent focus on the relationship between U.S. guns and Mexican cartels has been limited to the ATF's "Fast and the Furious." That plan had agents selling assault rifles to Mexican gun runners so that they could track high-ranking cartel members.
Though the ATF's actions are a bit questionable, there's actually a completely legal -- and perhaps more harmful -- way the U.S. is arming Mexican cartels. It's called "direct commercial sales" and it's operated by the State... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Reuters
35922
United States,Germany,Europe,Australia
In Wake of Glock Seizure, Australian Minister Defends Gun Control Efforts
15 March 2012
ABC News (Australia), Transcript
TONY EASTLEY: According to Tony Abbott Sydneysiders this morning not only face peak hour traffic but a reign of terror on the streets because of the illegal importation of hundreds of handguns from Europe and he puts it down to the Federal Government's lack of border control. The Opposition Leader says it can all be sheeted home to the Government.
On Tuesday police and other Federal and state authorities arrested alleged members of a gun smuggling syndicate who'd... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: ABC News (Australia)
35910
Austria,Germany,Australia
Post Office Owner Smuggled German Glocks to Sydney Gangs - Police
14 March 2012
Daily Telegraph (Sydney)
It began at a firearms manufacturing factory in Austria - and ended at a suburban Sydney post office.
Police yesterday cracked an elaborate gun-smuggling operation that spanned the globe, putting hundreds of illegal firearms into the hands of Sydney's underworld.
In the small township of Remscheid, Germany, up to 300 brand new Austrian-made Glock handguns were disassembled, packed in boxes with inconspicuous labels such as "plastic" and "metal", and shipped to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Daily Telegraph (Sydney)
35906
European Union
European Union Adopts New Law on Export, Import & Transit of Guns
13 March 2012
GRIP.org
On 8 March 2012, the European Union Council has finally adopted a new European legislation that sets the rules and procedures to be followed by Member States on export, import and transit authorizations of firearms for civilian use (such as hunting weapons and sporting weapons), their parts and components, and ammunition, to and from the EU. These new rules therefore only address firearms transfers with non-EU countries. They complement the existing European legislation... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: GRIP.org
35905
Germany,Europe,Australia
German-Australian Gun Smuggling Network Broken in Police Raids
13 March 2012
Sydney Morning Herald
Police have smashed a criminal syndicate allegedly importing illegal handguns from Europe into Australia via a Sydney post office.
The joint Australian German investigation, launched last month, resulted in three arrests today.
The NSW Firearms and Organised Crime Squad led raids earlier today to stop the importation of illegal firearms from Germany to Australia.
Three men have been arrested in Sydney and are assisting police with their inquiries after a number of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Sydney Morning Herald
35903
Côte d'Ivoire,Mali,Togo,West Africa,Ghana,Kenya
Ghana National Security Receives Firearm Marking Machines
7 March 2012
Ghana News Agency
The Regional Centre for Small Arms and Light Weapons (RECSA) based in Kenya, on Wednesday presented two weapon marking machines to Ghana in efforts to eliminate the illicit trade and proliferation of small arms and weapons.
The donation was made during a three-day training programme for security personnel on weapons marking and record-keeping in Accra and organised in collaboration with the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons (NACSA) and Ministry of the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Ghana News Agency
35896
Libya,Egypt
Gun Smuggling into Egypt from Libya Increases, 576 Weapons Seized
5 March 2012
Associated Press
CAIRO — The number of weapons smuggled into Egypt across the Libyan border is on the increase, with thousands of weapons flooding into the country, security officials said on Monday.
They said residents of southern Egypt, where extended families often accumulate large arsenals to protect property and settle feuds, are the main buyers.
The officials said 576 weapons including modern sniper rifles were seized by police in the last three months in the Egyptian oasis of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Associated Press
35890
Philippines,Trinidad & Tobago,Zimbabwe,Zambia,Uganda,Tanzania,Senegal,Congo (DRC),Pakistan,Nigeria,Niger,Namibia,Morocco,Mauritania,Malawi,Madagascar,Côte d'Ivoire,Burkina Faso,Botswana,Egypt,Angola,Algeria,South Africa,Ghana,China,United States,Austria,Russia,Israel,Bahrain,Asia,Africa,Brazil
Brazil Arms Exports: Country Preaches Peace, Sells Tons of Arms
28 February 2012
Huffington Post (USA)
A small, scratched metal can thrown on the ground created Brazil's first diplomatic embarrassment of 2012. The canister of tear gas had been collected by pro-democracy activists in Bahrain. Stamped across the can in blue was a Brazilian flag and the words 'MADE IN BRAZIL.'
One year had passed since Bahrain became the stage for pro-democracy protests by the majority Shiites against the Sunni monarchy commanded by king Hamad bin-Isa Khalifa. The protesters had been... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Huffington Post (USA)
35870
Tunisia
Illegal Arms Trade, Smuggling in Tunisia Shaken [Francais]
28 February 2012
Africa Time / La Presse
[Translated summary: Illegal arms trade in Tunisia coming to an end? Apparently yes. Indeed, past weeks have seen many gun smuggling rings dismantled by Tunisia law enforcement.]
Les coups de filet, de plus en fréquents ces jours-ci, ont mis à mal le trafic, jusqu'ici prospère, des armes. Mais gare au triomphalisme…
Le trafic des armes en Tunisie commence-t-il vraiment à s'essouffler ? Est-il en train de perdre du terrain? Et puis, question capitale, est-on... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Africa Time / La Presse
35866
United States
3 Former New York City Police Officers Plead Guilty in Gun-smuggling Case
27 February 2012
New York Times
Three former New York City police officers pleaded guilty on Monday to taking part in a scheme to illegally transport firearms across state lines, the authorities said.
"As they admitted today, these police officers moonlighted as criminals, and even planned to use their badges to cover their illegal activity," the United States attorney in Manhattan, Preet Bharara, said in a statement.
Gary Ortiz, 28, who was an active-duty officer in the 71st Precinct in Brooklyn,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
35867
France
French Parliament Unanimously Adopts Tighter Gun Control Law [Francais]
27 February 2012
Le Nouvel Observateur (France)
[Translated summary: The French Parliament has set a new gun control policy in order to better address firearm trafficking. The text on "modern, simplified and preventive gun control" aims at reforming outdated legislation from 1939.]
Le Parlement a mis en place, lundi, un nouveau contrôle des armes, destiné à mieux réprimer le trafic, à l'origine de braquages retentissants, avec l'adoption définitive d'une proposition de loi UMP-PS, rareté politique en période... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Le Nouvel Observateur (France)
35865
Somalia,Mozambique,Tanzania,Kenya,East Africa
Small Arms Proliferation in East Africa Fueling Conflicts and Instability - Opinion
23 February 2012
Pambazuka News (Africa), Opinion
A proliferation of small arms is fueling conflict and instability in East Africa. The ongoing pre-election violence in Kenya and the 'war on terror' will deter domestic and international investors, business people and economists say. These fears are valid given that illicit weapons are said to be hidden in parts of Kenya, especially in the Rift Valley Province.
On 9 December 2009 and on 2 February 2010, thousands of bullets, army uniforms, thousands of litres of fuel,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Pambazuka News (Africa)
35858
Belgium
Major Gun Trafficking Ring Dismantled in Belgium [Francais]
21 February 2012
7sur7 (Belgium)
[Translated summary: 248 firearms, more than 30,000 ammunition of all calibres and other weapons were seized in Brussels, Liege and Charleroi. The investigation concerning the existence of an illegal trade of firearms began in 2010. It allowed to discover ramifications in various cities across Belgium.]
Une mine anti-personnel, une grenade, 248 armes à feu et plus de 30.000 munitions de tous calibres confondus ont été saisis lors de 27 perquisitions menées les 15... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: 7sur7 (Belgium)
35853
Italy,Philippines,United States,Russia,Germany,Czech Republic,China,Botswana,Oceania,Americas,Africa,Asia,Europe,Central Africa,Caribbean,South America,Central America,Zimbabwe,Namibia,Mozambique,Congo (DRC),Angola,Swaziland,South Africa,Southern Africa
High Gun Death Risk for Young African Men, Women at Home - UN Study
19 February 2012
Southern Times (Southern Africa)
WINDHOEK - Young men in Southern Africa are at the greatest risk of cold-blooded murder, while women in the region are more likely than others from around the world to be killed in domestic violence, a UN agency says.
The statistics from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) come as the region battles to contain the proliferation of gun-related crimes.
Experts have said gun-related crime is a major problem in South Africa and Swaziland, and is on the rise in... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Southern Times (Southern Africa)
35844
India,Bangladesh
400,000 Illegal Guns in Bangladesh, Many from India, Claims NGO
19 February 2012
Financial Express (Bangladesh)
Country's law and order situation might become unstable as cadres of different political groups were learnt to have been buying smuggled small firearms, reports UNB.
Intelligence sources told the news agency Saturday that increasing use of small firearms in different criminal activities, including murder, robbery and extortion, have increased the smuggling of firearms from across the border.
They said syndicates from two sides of the border control such smuggling of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Financial Express (Bangladesh)
35842
Colombia,Ecuador
Ecuador Gun Seizures Point to Military, Security Industry Leakage
17 February 2012
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Ecuador's military seized 170 firearms in the south of the country, raising the issue once again of the country's importance as a transit nation for small arms moving to Colombia.
The seizure, which included some 7,000 rounds of munition, shotguns, handguns and rifles, came in the southern province of El Oro which borders Peru. No arrests were made.
Ecuadorian authorities carried out the operation just one week after they found a similar, though smaller, cache of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: InSight Crime (Bogota)
35839
Mexico,United States
Mexican President Unveils 'No More Weapons!' Billboard on US Border
17 February 2012
Washington Post / AP
CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico — President Felipe Calderon on Thursday unveiled a "No More Weapons!" billboard made with crushed firearms and placed near the U.S. border. He urged the United States to stop the flow of weapons into Mexico.
The billboard, which is in English and weighs 3 tons, was placed near an international bridge in Ciudad Juarez and can be seen from the United States.
Calderon said the billboard's letters were made with weapons seized by local, state and... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Washington Post / AP
35835
Syria,Iraq
Turnaround in Middle East: Iraqis Now Profit from Gun Smuggling to Syria
16 February 2012
Associated Press
BAGHDAD — The rifles are first taken apart and hidden in cigarette cartons and kerosene tanks. Younis al-Lehaibi and his sons then divide them into their trucks and head out to Iraq's vast, dusty border with Syria. Their objective: to smuggle weapons to Syrian rebels who seek the overthrow of President Bashar Assad.
It's a turnaround from the height of the Iraqi war six years ago, when weapons and fighters would cross from Syria to aid fellow Sunnis in Iraq.
Mindful... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Associated Press
35833
China
Alarmed by Spate of Gun Crime, China Vows to Clamp Down on Firearms
10 February 2012
China Daily
BEIJING - The government is to crack down on the illegal possession of guns and explosives following a recent spate of armed robberies nationwide.
"We will concentrate on tackling crimes involving serious violence and other prominent criminal activities in order to strengthen security in cities and maintain social order and overall stability," said Huang Ming, deputy minister of public security, announcing the campaign against gun crime.
There has been a series of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: China Daily
35815
Mexico,United States
Texas: Desperate Housewives Buy Assault Rifles for Mexico's Drug Cartels
8 February 2012
Reuters
SAN ANTONIO - Nine Texas men and women have been sentenced to prison for purchasing firearms for Mexico's Los Zetas drug cartel, and a dozen others face charges linked to a Department of Justice probe into weapons trafficking, officials said on Wednesday.
U.S. Attorney Robert Pitman said that in many cases, the purchasers were paid a couple of hundred dollars to buy a weapon and hand it to a smuggler.
"Firearms smugglers employ individuals in the United States with no... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Reuters
35811
Germany,United Kingdom,China,Nigeria
British and German Arms Dealers Involved in Arms Shipment to Nigeria
8 February 2012
Daily Trust (Abuja)
British prosecutors recently vowed to pursue a legal case involving the shipment of large cache of weapons, allegedly from China and destined for Nigeria, after a London judge threw it out.
Those involved in the trade are said to be British and German arms dealers. Mr Gary Hyde, a 42-year old retired British volunteer police officer, is accused of conspiring with his German business partner Karl Kleber for the illegal shipment of 40,000 Ak47 assault rifles, 30,000... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Daily Trust (Abuja)
35808
Haiti,Caribbean,United States,Jamaica
Jamaica Destroys Thousands of Guns to Combat Trafficking and Crime
7 February 2012
Chicago Tribune / AP
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Roughly 2,000 firearms were melted down in a blazing furnace Tuesday as part of an effort designed to combat gun trafficking and corruption in Jamaica while reducing violent crime.
Police, government and U.N. officials destroyed pistols and revolvers by pitching them into a kiln glowing bright orange at a cement factory in the capital of Kingston. Most of the guns were decommissioned or seized in police operations over the years.
National... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Chicago Tribune / AP
35806
Mexico,United States
How America's Lax Gun Laws Enable Drug Cartel Killings in Mexico
5 February 2012
Washington Post, Editorial
Do America's failed gun policies contribute to the terrible violence in Mexico? Alejandro A. Poire Romero makes a compelling case that the answer is yes.
Law enforcement officials in both countries acknowledge that 70 to 80 percent of the traceable guns seized in Mexico can be tracked to the United States. Mr. Poire Romero, a top Mexican national security and criminal justice official, offers additional evidence that the United States has been an enabler of the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Washington Post
35803
Jamaica,United States,Caribbean
Jamaica Calls on US for Concrete Support in Fight Against Illegal Gun Trafficking
4 February 2012
South Florida Caribbean News
WASHINGTON, DC - Jamaica's Ambassador to the United States Her Excellency Audrey Marks has called on the United States government to work with the Caribbean to fulfil the 2007 pledge made by the USA and CARICOM Member States to enhance co-operation in eradicating the illegal gun trade in the Region.
Ambassador Marks told a hearing on US-Caribbean Security Cooperation that was held by the United States Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control on Wednesday, that... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: South Florida Caribbean News
35800
Mexico,United States
New York, Boston Mayors Lead Influential American Gun Control Group
4 February 2012
Reuters
NEW YORK - Among the slick, million-dollar ads for the likes of Pepsi and Honda during the Super Bowl this Sunday, viewers in Washington will see a far more modest spot. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino will be sitting on a couch touting an issue most politicians avoid like the plague: gun control.
The two mayors, whose local teams face off in the big game, are making the pitch for Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG), the organization they... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Reuters
35799
Colombia
Bogota Attempts 'One of the Largest Experiments in Gun Control'
1 February 2012
BBC News
What might be one of the largest experiments in gun control ever attempted is currently under way in the Colombian capital, Bogota.
No weapons are allowed on the streets of this city of 7.3 million people from Wednesday until 30 April.
If the ban results in a significant reduction of the homicide rate it might become permanent.
The ban is being introduced by a former guerrilla - the city's Mayor Gustavo Petro.
"People who own guns legally can still keep them at... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: BBC News
35837
United States,Mexico
Mexico Gangs Prefer Guns from the 80s-90s as They Are Harder to Trace
31 January 2012
InSight Crime (Bogota)
According to Mexico's Defense Department, criminal organizations are equipping themselves with firearms that are between 20 and 30 years old. The government says this casts doubt on the claim that the gangs are better armed than the security forces.
The Mexican Army seized over 130,000 firearms since 2006, the majority of which were fabricated in the 1980s and 1990s, Excelsior reports. These include makeshift weapons that were modified or repaired using old parts from... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: InSight Crime (Bogota)
35789
United States,Australia
Assembling Illegal Guns with Imported Pieces, Growing Trend within Sydney's Underworld
29 January 2012
Daily Telegraph (Sydney)
Criminals are assembling illegal weapons in backyard firearm factories after importing them piece-by-piece over the internet.
The Sunday Telegraph can reveal the parts are being sourced from legitimate gun dealers in the US and pieced together in NSW after arriving in the mail undetected.
Detective Superintendent Ken Finch, commander of the Firearms and Organised Crime Squad (FAOCS), said a number of unrelated individuals had already been arrested and charged over the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Daily Telegraph (Sydney)
35785
United States,Mexico
US Suggested Mexico Allow Illegal Guns to Cross Border to Cartels
28 January 2012
Washington Post / AP
WASHINGTON — Newly released Justice Department emails sent to Capitol Hill for a congressional inquiry into a gun-smuggling operation indicate that the head of the department's criminal division suggested letting some illicit "straw" weapons buyers in the U.S. transport their guns across the border into Mexico where they could be arrested.
According to the emails turned over to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on Friday night, the Justice official,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Washington Post / AP
35780
Mexico,United States
In Wake of Botched Gun Trafficking Probe, US Reveals New Sting Rules
27 January 2012
Chicago Tribune / Reuters
WASHINGTON - The Obama administration on Friday revealed new reforms undertaken to improve how it conducts undercover gun trafficking investigations in the wake of a botched operation in which scores of weapons disappeared.
The reforms require additional oversight of undercover operations, including those that involve more than 50 firearms, and, in most cases, ends the practice of paying gun dealers to serve as confidential informants.
Additionally, a new review... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Chicago Tribune / Reuters
35775
Sweden
Swedish Govt Suggests Stricter Penalties for Carrying Gun in Public Place
20 January 2012
Local (Sweden)
In a proposal to the Swedish Council on Legislation's (Lagrådet) the government has suggested implementing stricter penalties for carrying a weapon in a public place.
However, at present they are not willing to grant police the wire tapping capabilities for less serious crimes, powers which police have long sought.
"We have made every effort to signal the need for this and we hope that the government will continue to work on it. We really do need to have these... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Local (Sweden)
35759
Spain
Spanish Police Dismantle Gang Accused of Arms Trafficking [Espanol]
20 January 2012
ABC News (Spain)
[Translated summary: Spain's Civil Guard has dismantled an organisation based in Almería, said to be dedicated to arms and ammunition trafficking across the country, with the arrest of sixteen people and the seizure of 45 firearms and more than 1,200 cartridges of different calibres.]
ALMERIA - La Guardia Civil ha desarticulado una organización asentada en Almería dedicada al tráfico de armas y municiones en todo el país con la detención de dieciséis personas y... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: ABC News (Spain)
35752
Mexico,United States
US Gun Dealers on Mexico Border Must Report Multiple Sales
18 January 2012
InSight Crime (Bogota)
A ruling by a US judge on tracking the sale of high-powered firearms in states on the southern border is a step forward for authorities trying to legislate against the flow of guns into Mexico.
Federal Judge Rosemary Collyer upheld an order made last year by the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The ATF asked more than 8,000 gun dealers in Arizona, Texas, California and New Mexico to report sales of multiple semi-automatic rifles to one... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: InSight Crime (Bogota)
35743
Kosovo,Bulgaria,Albania,Hungary,Croatia,Bosnia & Herzegovina
A 5th of Bosnia & Herzegovina Population Own 750,000 Unregistered Arms
12 January 2012
Southeast European Times
An estimated fifth of Bosnia and Herzegovina's (BiH) population own 750,000 unregistered weapons, according to officials who cite widespread availability and easy access on the black market as a major source of concern.
"After traffic accidents, illegal arms are the most common cause of death in BiH. About 90% of illegal acts are done with the use of illegal weapons," Denis Hadzovic of the Centre for Security Studies in BiH told SETimes.
Most illegal weapons are guns... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Southeast European Times
35736
United Kingdom,United States
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)
Read More: News & Observer (North Carolina)
35722
Israel,Jordan,Iraq,Turkey,Syria,Lebanon
Syria Crisis Amplifies Demand for Black Market Guns in Lebanon
10 January 2012
Daily Star (Beirut)
BEIRUT - As Abu Rida reels off a list of the latest prices for weapons and ammunition on Lebanon's black market, his small audience lets out low whistles of surprise."$2,000 for an RPG?" said one man, referring to a rocket-propelled grenade launcher.
"I swear to God," replied Abu Rida who has seen his profits skyrocket over the past year. "The prices are crazy. And it's all going to Syria."
Black market arms dealers like Abu Rida are struggling to cope with a soaring... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Daily Star (Beirut)
35721
Denmark,Sweden
Swedish Customs 'Not Focused' on Weapon Smuggling from Denmark
5 January 2012
Local (Stockholm)
The Öresund bridge, connecting Sweden and Denmark, has long been known to be an important route for weapons smugglers to get their wares into Sweden. Despite this only seven illegal weapons were seized there over the course of 2011.
"We have been mainly focusing on drugs," said Anders Trägårdh, head of operations at customs in Malmö, to daily newspaper Dagens Nyheter (DN).
The debate about the illegal smuggling of weapons has been given a new lease of life after a... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Local (Stockholm)
35711
Eastern Europe,Belgium
Illegal Firearm Market in Belgium Has a Variety of Sources [Francais]
16 December 2011
La Libre (Brussels)
[Translated summary: The type of weapon used by the Liège mass shooter Nordine Amrani represents a marginal part of arms trafficking. The market for illicit long guns is relatively small as they are not easily concealable. There are two main sources: weapons from Eastern Europe and weapons manufactured in Belgium, like the FAL, apparently used by Amrani.]
Le type d'armes utilisées par Amrani n'est qu'un volet marginal du trafic d'armes.
Comment Nordine Amrani a-t-il... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: La Libre (Brussels)
35676
Belgium
Belgian Killer Amassed Illegal Guns, Used Light Automatic Army Rifle
15 December 2011
CNN
BRUSSELS, Belgium -- A man who killed five people and himself in a gun and grenade attack in Belgium feared going back to prison and losing the life he had built, his lawyer said Thursday.
The attack on a crowded market square in Liege Tuesday by Nourdine Amrani, which also left at least 130 people wounded, shocked the nation.
His defense lawyer in Liege, Jean-Francois Dister, told CNN Amrani had called him late Monday and early Tuesday after the police called him in... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: CNN
35674
United States
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)
Read More: Huffington Post (USA)
35672
Brazil
FIFA Mulls Brazilian Plans for Gun Scrapping Drive at Soccer World Cup
14 December 2011
Guardian (UK)
RIO DE JANEIRO - Football's governing body, Fifa, is studying plans to hand out free or cut-price World Cup tickets to football fans who surrender guns to the Brazilian government.
Brazil's justice ministry submitted the plans for the 2014 event last month as part of a new disarmament drive in the South American country.
According to reports in the Brazilian media, the government's suggestions also include swapping official footballs and shirts signed by World Cup... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Guardian (UK)
35670
Philippines,Indonesia
Concern over Continuing Gun Smuggling between Indonesia, Philippines
14 December 2011
GMA TV News (Manila)
Indonesia's foreign minister, in Manila for an official visit, has expressed concern over the continuing smuggling of firearms between Indonesia and the Philippines, fearing that some of these weapons may end in the hands of terrorists.
"Illicit transfer of firearms is certainly one issue that we're keen to address," Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa told reporters, adding that the problem was among the many issues that he raised with Philippine Foreign Affairs... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: GMA TV News (Manila)
35667
Brazil
Rio de Janeiro Police Caught Selling Seized Firearms to Criminal Gangs
13 December 2011
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Police in Rio de Janeiro arrested 16 people, including 11 military police, accused of selling confiscated firearms to criminal groups.
According to news site R7, the group operated a gun trafficking ring that sold weapons to gangs based in Rio's third-largest favela, Jacarezinho.
This is one of Rio's poorer areas, where crack cocaine use is widespread, and prison gang the Red Command (Comando Vermelho) is active.
Jacarezinho does not yet have a police pacification... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: InSight Crime (Bogota)
35671
Libya,Algeria
Libyan Arms Smugglers Arrested in Algeria [Francais]
13 December 2011
El Khabar (Algeria)
[Translated summary: Algeria forces arrested 7 Libyans, claiming to be insurgents, for illegal smuggling of an important load of arms, including semi-automatic firearms, rocket launcher and rockets.]
Déclarant être des insurgés et qui s'étaient égarés près de la vile libyenne de Ghat
7 libyens en possession d'une cargaison d'armes arrêtés par les unités de l'ANP à Djanet
Les unités de l'ANP ont intercepté dans la nuit de dimanche à Lundi deux 4x4... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: El Khabar (Algeria)
35665
Cayman Islands,United States
US Federal Police Investigate Florida-Cayman Islands Gun Smuggling Ring
12 December 2011
CayCompass.com (Cayman Islands)
United States federal law enforcement authorities are investigating a firearms smuggling operation between south Florida and Grand Cayman that's been ongoing since at least 2008, according to US District Court records obtained by the Caymanian Compass.
The investigation, a branch of which led to the 2009 arrest, conviction and incarceration of four local men in US federal prison, caught up with a fifth suspect, Mikkyle Brandon Leslie – known in Cayman as Brandon... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: CayCompass.com (Cayman Islands)
35651
Caribbean,Cuba
Cuba to Help Caribbean Nations Fight Illegal Drugs, Arms Trade
10 December 2011
Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday
Cuban President Raul Castro has offered to assist Caricom to combat the illicit trade in small arms and narcotics.
This was identified by St Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr Denzil Douglas as one of several points of agreement contained in the Declaration of Port-of-Spain which was released following the conclusion of the Fourth Caricom-Cuba Summit at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) in Port-of-Spain on Thursday night.
Addressing a news conference... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday
35653
Bangladesh,Myanmar,South East Asia,China,India
Indian Insurgents Procuring, Smuggling Arms from China, Southeast Asia
9 December 2011
Times of India
NEW DELHI - Insurgent groups in the northeast are procuring arms in China and some other South East Asian countries before smuggling them into India through Myanmar and Bangladesh, the government has said.
"There are reports that insurgent outfits operating in the northeastern states of India have been procuring arms through smugglers based in the Yunnan province of China, Myanmar and South East Asian countries," minister of state for home Mullappally Ramachandran said... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Times of India
35663
France
After Shootings, French Senate passes Tighter Gun Control Bill [Francais]
8 December 2011
Le Monde (France) / AFP
[Translated summary: The French Senate has unanimously adopted, this Thursday, a bill that would simplify and tighten gun control. Arms will be listed in 4 categories: banned, subject to authorisation, subject to notification and others (free transfer); individuals charged with gun trafficking will face a prison term of seven years and a 100,000 Euros fine and if the crime is committed by organised crime, a prison term of ten years and a 500,000 Euros fine.]
Le Sénat... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Le Monde (France) / AFP
35649
Guatemala,Mexico,United States
Texas Gun Shop Sold 'Infantry Squad' Weapons to Mexican Cartel Smugglers
8 December 2011
Guardian (UK)
It was nothing more than a routine inspection for federal agents. But as they browsed the records of Carter's Country gun shop in Houston, investigators picked up on a series of big sales. For cash.
Federal agents were alerted not only by the number of guns involved – sometimes a dozen at a time – but the type. Time and again buyers walked out of Carter's Country clutching assault rifles, semi-automatic pistols with armour-piercing bullets and powerful sniper... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Guardian (UK)
35645
United States
Gun Control Off the Table as US Congress Feels Heat from Influential NRA
8 December 2011
Guardian (UK)
Mexico's drug cartels have for years armed themselves courtesy of America's love for guns.
Many Americans, wedded to their right to own guns under the second amendment of the US constitution, are viscerally opposed to stronger laws to curb weapons trafficking, out of fear that it may prove to be the thin end of a wedge that they say will result in the government confiscating all firearms.
Some are wedded to their guns out of fear of crime. Others see them as a... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Guardian (UK)
35644
Guatemala
San Benito, Guatemala: 131 Gun Homicides per 100,000 Inhabitants in 2010
7 December 2011
InSight Crime (Bogota)
A disturbing new report by elPeriodico shows how the Internet is being used to target alleged criminals in Guatemala. As with Anonymous' threats to "out" Zetas in Mexico, the case illustrates how cyber justice can get ugly fast.
The investigation says that four websites have identified 39 alleged members of street gangs or other criminal groups in San Benito, a municipality in Peten, Guatemala's most violent state, over the past three years. At least 10 of these were... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: InSight Crime (Bogota)
35643
Thailand,Colombia,Russia,United States,Uganda,Rwanda,South Africa,United Arab Emirates,Belgium,Sudan,Somalia,Côte d'Ivoire,Liberia,Angola,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,Congo (DRC)
Stopping the Trade in Death, Gun Trafficking, Smuggling - Opinion
6 December 2011
New York Times, Opinion
On a dark November morning in 2004, I woke up in my bungalow overlooking Lake Kivu, tense with anticipation. Our small United Nations team was about to undertake a surprise inspection of three airfields in eastern Congo, notorious for smuggling operations.
With the backing of U.N. peacekeeping forces and a U.N. Security Council mandate, we searched almost every incoming and outgoing aircraft that day. By evening, we had the evidence to link several aviation front... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
35632
Burundi,Uganda,Rwanda,Congo (DRC),Africa
Africa: Six Years On - The UN's International Small Arms Tracing Instrument
5 December 2011
Institute for Security Studies (Tshwane/Pretoria), Report
The ability to trace small arms and light weapons (SALW) is an important step toward transparency and preventing the illicit use of firearms in conflict and crime. December 8th 2011 marks the 6th year since the adoption of the International Tracing Instrument (ITI) by the United Nations General Assembly.
In adopting the ITI, although not legally binding, the UN Member States acknowledged that the instrument would enable them to identify and trace, in a timely and... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Institute for Security Studies (Tshwane/Pretoria)
35627
Congress Was Not Misled on US-Mexico 'Gun Walking' Probe - Justice Dept
2 December 2011
New York Times
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department on Friday turned over to Congress nearly 1,400 pages of "highly deliberative internal communications" about the drafting of a February letter in an effort to show that agency officials did not knowingly mislead lawmakers in connection with a disputed gun trafficking investigation called Operation Fast and Furious.
The letter, which rejected early accusations of wrongdoing in Fast and Furious, told lawmakers that the Bureau of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
35616
Libya,Eastern Europe,France
3% of 3,500 Guns Seized in France Are Automatic Assault Rifles [Francais]
29 November 2011
Europe 1
[Translated Summary: French police seized 3,500 weapons since the beginning of the year, 3% of which were automatic rifles. In Eastern Europe, an AK-47 costs some hundred Euros, but once in France, it costs around 2,000 to 3,000 Euros.]
Decryptage - Les armes automatiques circulent illégalement. D'où viennent-elles, qui les utilisent ?
Deux fusillades meurtrières en moins de 24 heures à Marseille. Et par deux fois, les malfaiteurs ont tiré à l'arme de guerre, en... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Europe 1
35592
France
Following Latest Shootings, France to Review Gun Control Law [Francais]
29 November 2011
AFP
[Translated Summary: Following recent shootings in which burglars and robbers used weapons of war against police officers, the French Senate will review a new gun-control bill to reinforce the fight against gun trafficking. Amendments to the Firearms Decree-Law of 1939 will include stricter maximum penalties: prison terms rising from seven years to ten years, and fines rising from 100,000 Euros to 500,000 Euros.]
PARIS — Le Sénat examinera le jeudi 8 décembre, une... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: AFP
35590
Venezuela,Peru,Ecuador,Chile,Bolivia,Paraguay,Brazil,Argentina,Mexico,Colombia,Uruguay,United States,North America,South America,Central America,Caribbean
Latin American Governments Target Gun Runners, Countries Making Guns
28 November 2011
United Press International
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay - Latin America's increasingly ambitious Mercosur regional bloc is aiming to focus on small arms suppliers who are seen as being behind the region's endemic and seemingly insurmountable problem of violent crime.
The area's disparate armed groups, guerrillas with political agenda and drug-related gangs have drawn attention from Mercosur's watchdog committees as senior officials explore ways of containing organized crime, rooting out myriad networks... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: United Press International
35594
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