Gun Policy News
Craft manufacture of firearms and small arms
3D-printed Guns Are On The Rise in Australia
9 November 2022
The Conversation (Australia)
Last week, police seized about 80 illegal firearms across Victoria. These included eight homemade firearms, four of which were "military-style weapons", as well as two 3D printers.
This is the latest in a series of seizures of 3D-printed weapons in Australia:
- in 2016, Queensland police discovered a 3D printer in a raid on a "large-scale" firearms production facility
- in September 2021, New South Wales counter-terrorism police arrested a right-wing extremist for... (GunPolicy.org)
'Ghost guns' and 3D printing: Secret arsenals in Australia
4 November 2022
Brisbane Times / Nine
KEY POINTS
- There have been 11 fatal, and 15 non-fatal, shootings in Victoria this year.
- Police have also seized numerous illicit weapons, including a cache of firearms found hidden in a storage container in Melbourne's outer north.
- Many criminals rely on "grey market" guns that should have been relinquished in the 1996 buy-back scheme.
- The use of 3D printing to create weapons is also becoming more sophisticated and common.
In a storage container on a property... (GunPolicy.org)
Dozens of 3D-printed Firearms Sold at Buyback in Houston, Texas
2 August 2022
Fox 26 Houston (Texas)
Houston leaders say they will no longer accept 3D-printed firearms, also known as ghost guns, at future gun buyback events after one man allegedly exchanged dozens of them over the weekend.
"We're going to exclude those next time around," said Mayor Sylvester Turner. "This is a program designed for people who want to voluntarily relinquish their guns."
On Saturday, city officials held their first gun buyback event in Houston. The mayor's office says more than 840... (GunPolicy.org)
Jamaica to Introduce the The Firearms (Prohibition, Restriction and Regulation) Act, 2022
29 July 2022
Jamaica Information Service
The House of Representatives recently approved the report and recommendations of the Joint Select Committee on the Firearms (Prohibition, Restriction and Regulation) Act (2022).
The Report outlines the recommended changes to the Bill, following the review and deliberations of the Joint Select Committee.
"Having regard to the number of amendments, it is proposed that the original Bill that was tabled on February 10, 2022, be withdrawn and a new amended Bill be tabled,"... (GunPolicy.org)
Dominican Republic,United States
A Rhode Island Man was Arrested for Trafficking the Firearms to the Dominican Republic
9 January 2022
CNN
A Rhode Island man was arrested in New York Thursday for allegedly selling or attempting to sell more than 100 guns that he produced at his home, according to the US Attorney's Office Southern District of New York.
Most of the guns were untraceable "privately made firearms" (PMF's), known as "ghost guns."
Robert Alcantara, 34, was charged with one count of conspiracy to traffic firearms and one count of making false statements, the US Department of Justice said in a... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigerian Villagers Stockpile Arms for Self-Defence
24 August 2021
Daily Trust (Nigeria)
Many communities in North West and North Central are contributing money to buy guns and other weapons to protect themselves against bandits, terrorists and other criminals, Daily Trust reports. Wealthy individuals are also reportedly buying personal guns to protect themselves against aggression or buying weapons for groups.
Villagers in Niger, Zamfara, Kaduna, Plateau and Katsina States are on the lead as many communities in States having security challenges have... (GunPolicy.org)
3D-printed Guns Becoming More Accessible
31 July 2021
Al Jazeera
There are mounting concerns over the proliferation of 3D-printed weapons amid growing arrests across Europe of people downloading and or trying to build their own guns.
"All you need is a weekend's worth of time and $50 for the materials".
That was the advice of Stephan Balliet, a German Neo-Nazi who has been sentenced to life in prison for killing two people after attempting to attack a synagogue in the city of Halle on October 9, 2019.
Balliet, 27, was referring to... (GunPolicy.org)
Kenya Burns Over 5,000 Illegal Firearms to Curb Crime
10 June 2021
AfricaNews
The Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday presided over the burning of 5,144 illegal firearms and obsolete state-owned small arms and light weapons at the Regional Traffic Police Training Centre in Ngong, Kajiado County.
He further called on those making homemade guns to join the newly built government facility that produces guns.
"This is to those making illegal guns, come we make legal money and jobs. Come forward and declare you can make a gun and you will... (GunPolicy.org)
Merchants Of Death: Tactics Criminals Use to Smuggle Firearms Into Nigeria
21 May 2021
Punch (Nigeria)
Criminals are hell-bent on making Nigeria unsafe with the diverse methods being used to smuggle firearms into the country. The country is currently battling insurgents, killer herders, robbers, kidnappers and bandits using sophisticated weapons to cause mayhem across states in the country. The security agents have been able to bust some of the gangs and their methods of smuggling firearms into the country while others albeit escaped their eagle eyes. There are viral... (GunPolicy.org)
The Deadly Toll of California's Craft Weapons
18 May 2021
Guardian
When Brian Muhammad, a program manager at a gun violence prevention group in California, asked a 16-year-old boy in 2018 how young people were getting guns, he assumed the answer would be Nevada, the neighboring state with looser gun laws.
"Who would waste time going to Nevada when you can just get them in the mail and put it together?" the Stockton teen nonchalantly replied.
Three years later, homemade weapons known as "ghost guns" have risen to the top of the Biden... (GunPolicy.org)
Spanish Police Bust Clandestine 3D Gun-printing Workshop
18 April 2021
AP
Spanish police said Sunday that they have uncovered the first workshop using a 3D printer to make illegal firearms in the country.
Police said that one person was arrested on Tenerife in the Canary Islands after being linked to the clandestine workshop where the suspect allegedly made assault weapons from 3D printing.
Beside the printer, agents also confiscated the components for 19 weapons made from 3D printing, several knives, chemicals that could be used in... (GunPolicy.org)
The Legal Loophole of 'Ghost Guns'
8 April 2021
Al Jazeera
What you need to know about 'ghost guns' Biden wants to regulate
Biden aims to close loopholes in the production of untraceable firearms with kits and 3D printing after mass shootings.
US President Joe Biden has issued actions aimed at regulating "ghost guns" – weapons that can be produced without serial numbers and other identifiers making their tracking difficult – seen as a growing threat by US law enforcement and watchdog groups.
Ghost guns can be produced... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigeria: Tackling Insecurity with Cargo Tracking Note
26 March 2021
This Day (Nigeria)
Over the years Nigeria has been bedeviled by insecurity and the problem has become worse in the last five years.
The situation seems to have defied all effort by the federal government to check the menace. Apart from banditry and kidnapping for ransom, piracy in the nation's waters is at an all-time high.
Also, the country has been besieged by the outbreak of violence and conflicts, which have claimed thousands of lives and property.
For instance, Boko Haram has, in... (GunPolicy.org)
Insecurity and the Right to Bear Arms in Nigeria
4 November 2020
Guardian (Nigeria)
One of the cardinal responsibilities of government is the safeguard of lives and properties, provided under Section14 (2) (b) of the 1999 Constitution as amended. So paramount is this responsibility that the entire economic, social and political progress of any society depends on it.
Nigeria for the past decade has witnessed unprecedented amount of bloodshed, destruction of properties and displacement of people from their native homes and places of business. The level... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigerian Police Give Deadline for Submission of Illegal Firearms
17 September 2020
Premium Times (Nigeria)
As part of efforts to curb the proliferation of firearms, the Niger State command of the Nigeria Police Force has issued an ultimatum for submission of illegal and prohibited firearms.
"The Niger State Police Command hereby calls on members of the public who are in possession of illegal and prohibited firearms such as single barrel, double barrel, automatic pump action and locally fabricated gun etc to render such firearms to a nearby Police Division, Area Command or... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigerian Blacksmith Arrested for Illegal Firearms Fabrication
18 August 2020
Premium Times (Nigeria)
Shapraku Umade, a 19-year old blacksmith who specialises in fabricating firearms, has been arrested by police in Lagos, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Hakeem Odumosu, has said.
Mr Umade was arrested alongside two other suspects at the Ajah area of the state during a transaction of illegal firearms. The team transports the firearms from Benue to Lagos State where they sell at the rate of N30,000 each.
According to the Commissioner of Police, "information was... (GunPolicy.org)
LiNCSA seeks to Register Five Thousand Gun Owners
24 June 2020
Analyst (Liberia)
The Chairman of the Liberia National Commission on Small Arms (LiNCSA), Atty. Teklo Maxwell Grigsby II has outlined his vision of the Civilian Arms Registration for hunters to members of the Board of LiNCSA.
In a prepared presentation to members of the Board, Chairman Grigsby said, one of the major reasons for the Civilian Arms Registration is to ensure the control and regulation of both illicit and licit firearms, which remain a huge challenge in Liberia. The Small... (GunPolicy.org)
Select US Gun Violence Statistics
27 December 2019
The Trace (USA)
- 26 percent: The increase in intimate partner homicides by shooting since 2010[…]
- $911 million: The annual cost of gun injury hospitalization[…]
- 30 percent: The share of firearms recovered by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in California that are unserialized ghost guns[…]
- 3.3m? 8.5m? 17.7m? The hard-to-quantify number of assault weapons in... (GunPolicy.org)
Homemade Firearms, 'Ghost Guns' and Crime in the US
5 December 2019
The Trace
What exactly is a ghost gun?
The term "ghost gun" is used by media, police, and sometimes the firearms industry to describe homemade weapons devoid of serial numbers or other identifying markings that enable them to be tracked to their maker, seller, or original owner.
For years, law enforcement authorities referred to these weapons as simply "homemade" guns or "kit" guns. "Ghost gun" is a relatively new term.
How are ghost guns made?
A variety of ways.
The most... (GunPolicy.org)
9 June 2019
Bangkok Post
"If you have a gun, shoot me," shouted Preecha Kunthong before he was hit with several bullets between the eyes and killed on May 19 in Saraburi's Muang district while buying a packet of instant coffee.
The 59-year-old man, who had that morning gone to breakfast with a friend at the local market, allegedly fell into an argument with the shooter as he stood in line at a convenience store opposite Saraburi Hospital.
This story isn't an unusual one in the country with... (GunPolicy.org)
Thousands of Homemade Guns Collected by Vietnamese Authorities
5 July 2018
Thanh Nien
In recent years, Quang Nam has had many traumatic accidents, affecting the lives and health of its citizens due to homemade guns.
4 July 2018 - the Police Department of Public Administration (PC64) in Quang Nam province handed over a large amount of weapons and dangerous objects to the Department of Police - Technical Security of the province for destruction.
Included are: 1,139 alcohol/air guns, 272 homemade guns, 54 military guns, 63 knives, 289 parts and... (GunPolicy.org)
Craft Weapons Seized in Finland
26 November 2017
MTV Finland
[Editor's Note: Translated from Finnish to English by GunPolicy.org]
In the forensic laboratory of the National Bureau of Investigation, between 30-40 homemade weapons are investigated annually. However, the figure is not the whole truth, as some of the weapons can be studied directly by the police without the work of the laboratory.
"Making a firearm is not a very demanding job," says technical researcher Pauli Heiskanen from the forensic laboratory.
In practice,... (GunPolicy.org)
Illicit Indian Craft Firearms Smuggled to Bangladesh
4 November 2017
Daily Star (Dhaka)
In recent years, the country's northwestern border in Chapainawabganj has emerged as a major route for smuggling in arms. It has of late become militants' most preferred point for collecting illegal firearms and explosives. This is the route through which terror outfit "Neo JMB" smuggled in the guns and bombs used in last year's Gulshan café attack. With such chilling information surfacing, Shariful Islam visits the zero line area of Indo-Bangla border in the district... (GunPolicy.org)
Illicit Firearm Trends in Sri Lanka
29 October 2017
Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)
Early last month, traffic policemen who became suspicious of a licence plate intercepted a hybrid vehicle in which the occupants had Chinese-made assault weapons.
By all indications, if not for the vigilance of the two traffic policemen and sheer luck, a violent crime could have been committed in Gampaha town in broad daylight.
In the incident on October 2, police recovered three T56 assault rifles. The vehicle had been travelling on the road near Gampaha Hospital... (GunPolicy.org)
West Africa,Ghana,Côte d'Ivoire,Nigeria,Mali,Burkina Faso,Sierra Leone
Homemade Firearms Fuel Conflict in West Africa
18 October 2017
ENACT Observer
The trafficking and illicit circulation of small arms and light weapons (SALW) is often discussed in the context of fuelling instability and insecurity in West Africa. Rarely, however, do these conversations give appropriate attention to the issue of locally manufactured weapons.
The production of firearms by local artisans is not new to the region. It has existed in many countries (e.g. Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal,... (GunPolicy.org)
Abuja Police Uncover Illegal Firearm Factory
14 August 2017
Premium Times (Nigeria)
The Commissioner of Police in the FCT, Sadiq Bello, said the Command has arrested three suspects in connection with an illegal firearm fabricating factory in Shenagu village near Zuba, FCT.
The suspects are: Philip John, owner of the factory, Onyegabueze Okpara, supplier of ammunitions and Joseph Bulus, distributor of the arms.
Mr. Bello made the disclosure while briefing journalists on arrest by operatives of the command on Friday in Abuja.
He said that items... (GunPolicy.org)
Cambodian Authorities Destroy Homemade Guns from Amnesty
14 June 2017
Khmer Times
Police in Preah Vihear province have collected 378 homemade rifles since launching a gun amnesty at the start of the year.
Deputy provincial police chief Colonel Sam Sameoun said officers had spoken to people in the area to educate them about illegal weapon possession, warning that homemade guns often malfunction, injuring or killing their owners.
Following the outreach work, he said officers managed to convince many residents to hand in their homemade rifles,... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Craft Production in Bangladesh's Moheshkhali Region
7 January 2017
Dhaka Tribune
The market price of these weapons are quite low, therefore the demand is high among local criminals in Moheshkhali. Apart from being used by local criminals, they are also transferred to other districts around the country evading law enforcers.
On January 4, RAB 7 members traced some weapons to a factory in Cox's Bazar. After raiding the factory, 22 firearms and 22 rounds of bullets were seized along with 33 other equipments used for manufacturing weapons. The... (GunPolicy.org)
Spain Plans More Control Over Disabled Firearms [ES]
24 November 2016
Vanguardia (Colombia), EFE News Agency
[Translated Summary: After establishing that firearms used in terrorist attacks came from the black market, Spain's Congressional Defence Commission will enforce tighter controls so firearms cannot be modified for use in terrorist attacks. In collaboration with EU states, Spain will standardise techniques to permanently disable guns.]
La Comisión de Defensa del Congreso ha aprobado una iniciativa del grupo popular por la que, previa trasposición de una directiva... (GunPolicy.org)
One Firearm for Every 16 Inhabitants in Spain [ES]
24 November 2016
Mundiario (Spain)
[Translated Summary: Spain ranks 18th in the global ranking of civilian firearm possession, with one firearm for every 16 inhabitants. To legally own a firearm, applicants must certify that they are going to use it for sport or hunting, they must pass an exam and a background check and present a medical certificate. To own a firearm for self defence, applicants must justify a risk or a threat.]
España, con una de las legislaciones más restrictivas del mundo en el uso... (GunPolicy.org)
New Gun Law in Cameroon Bans Homemade Firearms [FR]
23 November 2016
237 Online (Cameroon)
[Translated summary: The National Defence and Security Committee of Cameroon has examined a new firearm and ammunition bill. The new regulations include the prohibition of homemade firearms and mandatory marking for better tracing.]
L'Economie du projet de loi examinée à la Commission de la défense nationale et de la sécurité.
La Commission de la défense nationale et de la sécurité a, vendredi dernier, en présence du ministre de la Défense, examiné le... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Find '3D-Printed Submachine Gun' Factory in Australia
23 November 2016
Guardian, Australian Associated Press
A highly sophisticated weapons production facility using 3D printers and computers to make machine guns has been uncovered in a series of raids across the Gold Coast.
Police say they found four homemade automatic submachine guns, silencers, ammunition, a replica handgun, a .45 calibre pistol and equipment used to make weapons at two Nerang businesses, as well as a pill press.
The equipment used to make the weapons included computers, a 3D printer, drill presses and... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Raid 'First of its Kind' Illegal Gun Factory in Australia
23 November 2016
Brisbane Times (Queensland)
Police say sophisticated gun factory found during raids at the Gold Coast on Friday is the first of its kind in Queensland.
Officers executed search warrants on four residential properties and two industrial sheds finding drug labs, a weapons factory, drugs, guns, ammunition and 3D printer.
The guns found included four "uzi-style" submachine guns, three silencers and two handguns while drugs seized included steroids, cannabis, ecstasy and amphetamines.
Five people... (GunPolicy.org)
Over Two Thousand Firearms Destroyed in El Salvador [ES]
18 November 2016
El Mundo (El Salvador), EFE News Agency
[Translated Summary: El Salvador's Ministry of Defence destroyed 2,864 seized firearms. They also destroyed another cache of firearms that were not claimed by their owners after seizure, and others used in crimes. Among the destroyed firearms were 1,386 handguns, 333 long guns and 156 home-made firearms. Between January and September, 2016, 80% of homicides were committed using a firearm and 1,987 guns were seized.]
El Ministerio de la Defensa destruyó 2,864 armas de... (GunPolicy.org)
Violence in Jharkhand, India, Fueled by Handmade Guns
10 November 2016
India Today
It was a Wednesday morning late in June and Sudhanshu Kumar was in class joshing with friends. The class was to leave for the school assembly in a few minutes when the student of Dayanand Public School, Jamshedpur, heard a loud cracking sound and then felt an excruciating pain in his back.
It took the Class XI student a few seconds to realise he had been shot before he slumped on the desk, bleeding. Kumar had been shot by a classmate sitting two rows behind him. The... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns Used in 40% of Homicides in Ecuador [ES]
9 November 2016
Ecuavisa (Ecuador)
[Translated summary: According to official data, over 40% (376) of the total homicides in Ecuador during 2016 were committed with firearms. The most common guns criminals use are homemade; Police explain that they are easy to acquire and low cost.]
El uso de armas de fuego es la principal causa de los homicidios cometidos en Ecuador. Según cifras de la Dirección Nacional de Delitos contra la Vida y Muertes Violentas (Dinased), durante este año en el territorio... (GunPolicy.org)
Bengal is Becoming Hub of Illegal Handguns and Ammunition
6 November 2016
Economic Times (India)
Meandering roads lead to chaotic lanes. Then the roads vanish, as do the lanes. What remains are muddled passages between cluttered households. Most of these lead to deadends and the rest, chock-ablock with not-so-friendly-looking people, are almost unapproachable. Unlike in most neighbourhoods, locals here don't guide visitors to addresses. Most of the queries go unanswered and are at best met with a reluctant nod. These inimical streets of Kankuli village in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Cambodian Authorities Collect Illicit Craft Weapons
31 October 2016
Khmer Times
In an effort to improve security and public order in Prey Veng province, police on Saturday managed to convince many local residents to hand in their homemade guns, according to the National Police website.
Lieutenant Colonel Soun Sam Oeun, the Kampong Trabek district police chief, told Khmer Times that police spoke with residents throughout the district about illegal gun possession, saying the guns often malfunctioned and injured or killed their owners. Those who... (GunPolicy.org)
Panama Police Have Seized 1,387 Guns Since January [ES]
26 October 2016
Panamá America (Panama)
[Translated Summary: From January to October, Panama's National Police seized 1,387 firearms and 18,692 rounds of ammunition. In this cache were 15 sub-machine guns, 60 shotguns, 49 automatic rifles, 448 handguns, 347 revolvers, 37 rifles and 57 other firearms (pellet and home-made).]
De enero a octubre la Policía Nacional ha decomisado unas mil 387 armas de fuego y 18 mil 692 municiones de diversos calibres.
El informe de la Policía destaca que entre las armas de... (GunPolicy.org)
Three Million Legal, 300-600,000 Illegal Guns in Australia?
20 October 2016
Herald Sun (Melbourne)
Australians are now armed with almost three million legal firearms and up to 600,000 illegal ones.
The alarmingly high number of illicit weapons has triggered the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission to signal it is time for a crackdown.
It has used a new report on illicit firearms to give support to the creation of a national program to encourage gun toting Aussies to surrender or register their illegal weapons.
Justice Minister Michael Keenan will be leading... (GunPolicy.org)
DIY Submachine Guns Are Popping Up Across the West Bank
14 October 2016
Washington Post
AZZUN — In the predawn hours, 150 Israeli troops, including masked special forces operatives, arrived in this Palestinian town in armored personnel carriers and hardened jeeps to hunt for guns and gun makers. They found one of each. The operation was deemed a success.
The raid in Azzun is part of an aggressive campaign by Israel to rid the occupied West Bank of guns — specifically a crude kind of do-it-yourself, handmade submachine gun known on the Palestinian... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 900 Firearms Seized in Panama So Far This Year [ES]
3 October 2016
Crítica (Panama)
[Translated summary: Panama's National Police seized 916 firearms and 16,714 pieces of ammunition so far this year. Among the firearms there are pistols, revolvers, shotguns, rifles, pellet guns, sub-machine guns and homemade guns.]
La Policía Nacional y el Ministerio Público (MP) de Panamá decomisaron un total de 916 armas de fuego y 16.714 municiones de diverso calibre en lo que va del año, indicó hoy una fuente oficial.
Entre las armas recuperadas y sacadas de... (GunPolicy.org)
Pen Guns on Secretive Internet Site Aimed at Buyers in France
15 September 2016
The Register (United Kingdom)
French hackers are selling concealed weapons including so-called pen guns that fire .22 Long Rifle bullets on highly secretive crime forums, threat researcher Cedric Pernet says.
Videos of the home-made pen guns scattered around the internet show the weapons in working use.
The guns are being sold for €150 (US$169, £127, A$226) alongside other concealed weapons like knuckle dusters and knives, and more expensive conventional large firearms.
Trend Micro's Pernet... (GunPolicy.org)
Law Aims to Reduce Gun Violence in Dominican Republic [ES]
2 September 2016
Al Momento
[Translated Summary: In the Dominican Republic, Deputy Victor Bosonó says that in the 90s there were eight to ten deaths from gunfire per hundred thousand inhabitants. That number has now tripled, with "80% of homicides committed with firearms". A new gun control law tackles illegal possession of all firearms -- home guns, civilian or military guns, modified or stolen from a soldier.]
El diputado Reformista, Víctor Bisonó, consideró que la ley para el Control y... (GunPolicy.org)
Durable, 3D-Printed 'Glock' Fires 18 Shots, 1000s of Rounds
25 August 2016
Outdoor Hub (US)
One thing can be said about the firearms community as a whole: there is plenty of fascination with new possibilities. Whether it is the hot gun du jour, or another promising new trend, our curiosity is often piqued and many of us want a piece of the pie.
3D printed guns are no exception.
As the possibility of a 3D printed gun hit the internet a few years ago, it was met with immediate attention. It was almost as if an electrically charged hush fell over the pro-gun... (GunPolicy.org)
One Million Illegal Guns, 6,700 Seized in Honduras [ES]
4 August 2016
Radio HRN (Honduras)
[Translated summary: Honduras confiscated 6,700 firearms in the last two years, most of them from gangs. Types include AK-47 and AR-15 rifles, .45, .38 and 9 mm handguns, shotguns and handmade guns. It is estimated that the cost of the arms seized since 2014 exceeds 100 million lempiras (4.38 million USD). About 1 million illegal firearms circulate in Honduras and 400,000 are legally registered.]
En lo que va del año van más de 1,400 armas de fuego incautadas lo que... (GunPolicy.org)
New California Law Requires Registration of All 3D-Printed Guns
25 July 2016
Digital Trends (USA)
Signed into law last week by California Governor Jerry Brown, anyone that attempts to create a homemade firearm with technology like a 3D printer will be required to apply for a serial number from the state's Department of Justice. This new law is also designed to close a loophole that's allowed gun enthusiasts to sell "unfinished receivers;" items like the core frame of a firearm as well as ammunition feeders and firing pins.
The serial number, or another form of... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 1,000 Guns Seized in Operations in Mexican City [ES]
20 July 2016
Excelsior (Mexico)
[Translated Summary: Coordination Team in Tamaulipas, MX informed that between the 24th of June to the 14th of July, over 697 rifles, 171 handguns, 117 grenades, 3 rockets, 16 grenade launchers, 227,178 different calibre cartridges and 5,994 clips were seized.]
En el marco de la Estrategia de Seguridad Tamaulipas contra la delincuencia Fuerzas Federales y Estatales aseguraron en 20 días todo un arsenal que incluye cohetes, lanzagranadas, casi mil armas de fuego de... (GunPolicy.org)
How Rare Illegal Firearms Find Their Way Onto British Streets
20 June 2016
The Conversation (UK)
How it is possible to get hold of weapons in Britain despite tough laws that restrict their ownership and use? This strict firearm legislation, enacted chiefly through the Firearms Act 1968 and amendments following the 1987 Hungerford mass shooting and 1996 Dunblane mass shoting, has reduced the number of purpose-made firearms in circulation. This has contributed to the number of firearms offences (including those using airguns and air rifles) falling from a high of... (GunPolicy.org)
How Illegal Firearms Find their Way Onto British Streets
20 June 2016
The Conversation (USA)
How it is possible to get hold of weapons in Britain despite tough laws that restrict their ownership and use? This strict firearm legislation, enacted chiefly through the Firearms Act 1968 and amendments following the 1987 Hungerford mass shooting and 1996 Dunblane mass shooting, has reduced the number of purpose-made firearms in circulation. This has contributed to the number of firearms offences (including those using airguns and air rifles) falling from a high of... (GunPolicy.org)
24 Dead In Mass Shooting at a Protest Camp in India
3 June 2016
Associated Press, Guardian
Clashes with squatters in protest camp in Mathura lead to 370 arrests, with police saying they were fired on from treetops
Attempts to evict thousands of people squatting in a makeshift protest camp in a northern Indian city ended in deadly clashes as people opened fire from treetops and police retaliated, leaving at least 24 people dead, authorities have said.
More than 370 people have been arrested for their alleged part in the overnight violence, during which gas... (GunPolicy.org)
Homemade Guns Surrendered to Police Stations in Tanzania
30 May 2016
Tanzania Daily News
About 61 homemade firearms locally known as gobole owned illegally have been surrendered at different police posts in Katavi Region since the exercise was officially launched on March 21, this year.
The Katavi Regional Commissioner (RC), Mr Damas Nyanda, said the verification exercise will officially end on June 30, this year, saying that so far 61 per cent of firearms verification have been completed and established that most of them are legally owned.
He further... (GunPolicy.org)
Ecuador Law Brings 42% Decrease in Crime Gun Use [ES]
26 May 2016
Ecuador Inmediato
[Translated summary: 2016 is the first year in Ecuador in which most of the violent deaths weren't committed with a firearm, due to the ban on the carry and the restricted ownership, as well as the police controls. 1,279 firearms were seized in the first trimester of 2016.]
En el primer trimestre del 2016 se decomisaron 1.279 objetos de este tipo 2016 es el primer año en el que la mayoría de muertes violentas no han sido perpetradas con armas de fuego. José Serrano,... (GunPolicy.org)
Malawi Poachers Surrender 40 Home-made Guns to Police
13 April 2016
Nyasa Times (Malawi)
Poachers in the north have surrendered over 40 home made guns to authorities in a programme that signals a ceasefire in the battle against poaching in protected areas in the region.
Division manager for Wildlife Department George Qumayo said since January, poachers have voluntarily handed over 44 home made guns used in the poaching of animals in Vwaza Game Reserve and Nyika National Park.
"This shows that we are winning the battle against poaching which has made us to... (GunPolicy.org)
Cambodia Destroys 200 Homemade Guns
8 April 2016
Phnom Penh Post
More than 200 homemade rifles were destroyed by Pursat provincial police on Wednesday, the DIY firearms having been seized as part of a campaign spanning the past five years, provincial police chief of staff Hieng Sitha explained.
"These were a kind of homemade air gun," he said, but noted that some "use bullets, such as those fired by AK-47s, or other improvised ammunition".
He said the rifles had been used by local people for hunting and home protection.
"We... (GunPolicy.org)
More Than 200 Homemade Guns Burned in Cambodia
8 April 2016
Phnom Penh Post (Cambodia)
More than 200 homemade rifles were destroyed by Pursat provincial police on Wednesday, the DIY firearms having been seized as part of a campaign spanning the past five years, provincial police chief of staff Hieng Sitha explained.
"These were a kind of homemade air gun," he said, but noted that some "use bullets, such as those fired by AK-47s, or other improvised ammunition".
He said the rifles had been used by local people for hunting and home protection.
"We... (GunPolicy.org)
Sierra Leone Destroys 5,000 Firearms [FR]
29 March 2016
Voice of America (Africa), Agence France Presse
[Translated summary: Sierra Leone destroyed around 5,000 firearms on Saturday, including AK-47s, M16s, hunting shotguns and home-made firearms, some of which were seized starting from 2002 at the end of the civil war.]
La Sierra Leone a entamé samedi la destruction de quelque 5.000 armes, une opération menée pour améliorer la sécurité dans ce pays qui a connu une guerre civile meurtrière entre 1991 et 2002.
L'opération a débuté dans deux dépôts militaires... (GunPolicy.org)
France,Slovakia,Germany,Eastern Europe,United Kingdom
East Europe's Shadow Gun Market Fuels Terrorism in West
18 March 2016
Black Sea, Der Spiegel, Le Soir
The trafficking of Communist-era weapons leads from a Slovakian website to last year's ISIS terror attack in Paris and new regulations have failed to stop the sale of deadly weapons to criminals, we can reveal.
7 January 2015. Chérif Kouachi and his brother Said leave a bloodbath in the newsroom of magazine Charlie Hebdo. Two days later, Kouachi's close contact, Amedy Coulibaly, assaults the kosher supermarket Hyper Cacher in Paris.
When Coulibaly takes the... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Guns Flooding Nigeria, Fuelling Violence
12 March 2016
Daily Trust (Abuja)
In the last 10 years, the number of deaths as a result of violence in different parts of Nigeria has been spiking steadily. The fifth report of the Nigeria Watch Project released early this year indicates that between June 2006 and December 2015, a total of 94,470 deaths were recorded from fatal violence across the country. The country attained the climax in terms of number of deaths recorded from violence in the last 10 years in 2014 and 2015, accounting for 24 per... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Facts, Figures and Firearm Law in Burkina Faso [FR]
26 February 2016
Le Pays (Burkina Faso), Transcript
[Translated summary: Gun facts and figures in Burkina Faso: the 2009 Firearms Decree; Consequences of the August 1983 Revolution; Arms trafficking in the region; Importance of the illegal manufacture of home-made guns; In Ouagadougou alone: 1,246 permits to carry firearms were issued in 2015, 1,270 in 2014, and 1,190 in 2013]
INTERVIEW
Propos recueillis par Michel NANA en collaboration avec Afronline (Italie)
Le Colonel Christophe Raoul Tapsoba est le secrétaire... (GunPolicy.org)
Japanese Man Arrested For Craft Firearms
3 September 2015
The Firearm Blog
A 60 year old man in Japan was recently arrested for building homemade guns of his own design. According to him it was his hobby for the last 40 years. He used scrap anvils as a source of hardened steel and crafted his own ammunition using toy caps and casted lead bullets.
[Photos in the original:]
- A double barreled muzzle-loading percussion lock. The barrels are rotated between shots.
- A submachine gun which is trying to decide whether its an AR or a... (GunPolicy.org)
Buying Illicit Firearms in Vietnam
24 August 2015
Tuoi Tre News
Although civilians are banned from owning guns in Vietnam, anyone can buy the weapons via contacts with friends, as well as on social networks, and have them delivered at home.
It is not difficult to buy a gun in Vietnam, even though civilians are totally banned from owning them.
Prices range widely, from VND400,000 (US$18) to tens of millions of dong (VND10 million equals $455).
They are mainly air guns illegally imported through the land borders with China, Laos... (GunPolicy.org)
Homemade Air Rifles in Vietnam
6 May 2015
Tuoi Tre News
In spite of being totally banned in Vietnam, air guns can be found and bought in Ho Chi Minh City at prices ranging from VND200,000 (US$9) to VND1 million ($46) each
Air guns have been offered for sale in Ho Chi Minh City and other localities despite the fact that purchasing and owning the items are banned in Vietnam.
The guns are manually made by individuals, mainly for hunting, and cost an average of VND200,000 (US$9) to VND1 million ($46) each, depending on the... (GunPolicy.org)
Cambodia Destroys Homemade Guns
7 January 2015
Phnom Penh Post
Police in Banteay Meanchey province yesterday torched 400 homemade guns, 24 crossbows and 360 "electro-fishing" kits, with most of the haul voluntarily surrendered by villagers.
Banteay Meanchey provincial police chief Art Khem said the bonfire at Banteay Meanchey town's provincial police station followed a recent police blitz encouraging people to turnover illegal arms and hunting equipment.
"This is part of our efforts to reduce crimes such as robbery, illegal... (GunPolicy.org)
6,000 Illegal Gunmakers in the Philippines
14 November 2014
Bloomberg (USA)
Hidden beneath tarpaulins in the backyard of a house in the central Philippine city of Danao, Lito puts the finishing touches on a replica .45-caliber Colt Officer's Model pistol. It will join the more than 600,000 illegal guns in circulation in a country where the homicide rate outstrips the U.S.
The money he makes from guns supplements his income as a farmer and helped Lito, 52, send two children to college. Still, he thinks often of the suffering that may come from... (GunPolicy.org)
3 November 2014
The Firearms Blog, Blog
Homemade firearms have long featured strongly in Indian criminology. Known locally as Kattas or tamanchas, these crude handmade pistols account for up to 30% of firearms related crime.
According to the National Crime Records Bureau, their use is continuing an upward trend with around 75% of gun homicides in the capital being carried out using homemade weapons. Almost all examples are smooth bore, sometimes utilizing a sanitation pipe or automobile steering shaft as a... (GunPolicy.org)
South America,Central America,Caribbean,Cuba,United States,Russia,Nicaragua,Israel,El Salvador,Honduras,Europe,Belgium,Czech Republic,Germany,Italy,South Africa,Spain,Colombia,Mexico,Venezuela,Brazil,Argentina,Chile,Paraguay,Panama,Ecuador
Small Arms Trade a 'Dramatic Threat' to Latin America
13 October 2014
NACLA
Small arms and gun violence present the most dramatic threat to public safety in Latin America and the Caribbean. After decades of uncontrolled proliferation, at least 45 million to 80 million small arms and light weapons—that is, weapons operated by an individual or small group, including handguns, assault rifles, grenades, grenade launchers, and even man portable surface to air missiles—are circulating throughout the region.(1) Gunshots kill between 73,000 and... (GunPolicy.org)
Firearms a Big Threat in Nepalese Valley, Police Operations Target Smugglers
22 June 2014
Himalayan Times (Kathmandu)
KATHMANDU - Small arms and light weapons are posing a big threat to public security in Kathmandu Valley.
Cases of the past four days show how smuggling and illegal trade of firearms continues unabated in the Valley resulting in a surge of various criminal activities.
A 21-year-old was caught with a pistol and three rounds of bullets from Chabahil yesterday. The boy and his friends used to threaten and extort money from local vegetable and fruit shops, said police.... (GunPolicy.org)
Australian Police Campaign to Battle Gun Crime
16 June 2014
Australian (Sydney)
Police have enlisted a big gun of their own as part of a campaign to rein in illegal firearms.
Victoria Cross recipient Corporal Ben Roberts-Smith has joined NSW Police in making an appeal to the community to dob in illegal gun owners.
"I have seen what guns can do in wartime," Corporal Roberts-Smith said in a video message in Sydney on Monday.
"Like many others, I have served my country … now it's your chance to protect the community by phoning crime stoppers and... (GunPolicy.org)
Op-Ed: The 'Have Gun, Will Shoot' Mindset in India and America
11 June 2014
Daily Pioneer (India), Opinion
In the US, powerful pro-gun lobbies have repeatedly sabotaged every attempt by lawmakers to make the possession of guns more difficult. In India too, it's not very difficult to secure a gun licence. This is a bad omen
Lawmakers in California in the United States are now mulling stricter gun control laws after a young man in the University of California killed six college students and himself. The young man was able to buy three guns and go on a rampage despite warnings... (GunPolicy.org)
Children in Jamaica Injured, Killed by Guns in Rising Numbers
2 June 2014
Trinidad and Tobago Express
KINGSTON - The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) says 60 children were murdered here during the period January 2013 to May this year.
The JCF said, in addition, 99 children were shot and injured by criminals during the same period.
According to the statistics released by the JCF, over the last two months, seven children between the ages seven and 17 years were murdered while one was shot and injured.
As a result, the police are calling on all citizens to redouble... (GunPolicy.org)
$30m of Firearms Seized, Over 450 Shootings in Jamaica in 2014
31 May 2014
Jamaica Gleaner
AN ESTIMATED $30 million worth of guns and ammunition have been taken off the streets of Jamaica since the start of the year.
Police data from January 1 to May 24, this year, has shown that 250 firearms and 3,417 rounds of ammunition have been recovered.
And on Thursday of this week, the cops confirmed that another nine guns and more than 1,000 rounds were seized in St Catherine.
A breakdown of the guns confiscated, as indicated by the police statistics, showed that... (GunPolicy.org)
Eight Blacksmiths Arrested for Unlicensed Gun Making in Ghana
30 May 2014
Spy Ghana
Eight persons were on Wednesday remanded by an Accra Circuit Court for manufacturing firearms without lawful authority and abetment of crime.
One of them, Daniel Forfoe, was charged for manufacturing firearms while the remaining seven Andres Nyanney, Richard Armah, Stephen Asamani, Daniel Akakpo, Issac Annor, Samuel Appiah and Emmanuel Armahon, were charged for abetment of crime.
Prosecuting, Police Inspector Isaac Agbemehia, told the court that the accused persons... (GunPolicy.org)
Bill to Regulate 3D Guns Introduced to Queensland Govt
23 May 2014
Yahoo! 7 News (Australia)
The Palmer United Party (PUP) has introduced legislation to Queensland Parliament proposing to regulate the creation and possession of 3D printed firearms.
If passed, the laws would be an Australian first, making it a punishable offence to make, buy or possess 3D firearms.
PUP MP Carl Judge told State Parliament last night he was concerned the new printing method could be used by criminals.
Mr Judge said the private member's bill included a licensing scheme, as well... (GunPolicy.org)
Large Arms Cache Found in South Africa, Including 300 Handguns
23 May 2014
South Africa Government News Agency
PRETORIA — Police say they are following up on leads to track down one of South Africa's most wanted criminals who managed to escape when police raided a home in Norwood last night.
Police raided the house following a community tip off and discovered more than 300 guns, ammunition and detonators, a machine used to manufacture ammunition, packaged dagga and explosives used for ATM bombings.
National Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega, who visited the house last night,... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Guns in Ghana Raise Fears of Conflict, Domestic Violence
20 May 2014
Ghana Web
A Small Arms and Light Weapons expert says there are too many illegal weapons in private hands in Ghana, which poses a threat to the country's peace and a potential for armed conflict.
The expert warned that the danger associated with too many illegal weapons in private hands is that the day Ghana fails to successfully manage issues such as election disputes, disagreement over natural resource ownership and chieftaincy succession issues, armed conflict will... (GunPolicy.org)
Untraceable Homemade Assault Rifles Exploit US Gun Law Loophole
16 May 2014
Portland Press Herald (Maine) / Washington Post
SAN FRANCISCO — It was John Zawahri's failure to pass a background check that prevented him from buying a firearm in California several years ago.
So the 23-year-old obtained an "unfinished receiver," the metal piece that holds the critical mechanisms that allow guns to fire, and built an assault rifle himself. Last summer, he went on a rampage at a college in Southern California, firing about 100 rounds and killing five people before police fatally shot... (GunPolicy.org)
Firearms Traded for Drugs in Papua New Guinea
9 May 2014
West Papua Daily
Jayapura, (Jubi) – The Papua Police said a marijuana syndicate from Papua New Guinea often exchanged their products with the firearms from Ambon for a transaction around six hundred thousand rupiah.
"This inter-state syndicate often used the route of Jayapura, Serui, Sorong to Ambon and Makassar," the Director of Narcotics Crime and Investigation Department, the Commissionaire Senior Police Tornagogo Sihombing told in the press conference on Thursday (8/5).
In the... (GunPolicy.org)
Japan Makes First Arrest of Owner of a 3-D Printed Gun
8 May 2014
Japan Daily Press
Japanese police raided the home of 27-year-old Yoshitomo Imura as he was suspected of possessing firearms made with a 3-D printer, what is said to be the first arrest of this nature in Japan. Imura, a college employee, was found in possession of five 3-D printed guns, two of which were reportedly able to fire lethal bullets, this according to a report by the national broadcaster NHK.
The police said that they recovered a 3-D printer from Imura's home in Kawasaki, near... (GunPolicy.org)
Most Illegal Homemade Guns in Indian State Marked as Made Overseas
3 May 2014
Times of India
Navi Mumbai - Most illegal country-made guns, which are seized by the police in Navi Mumbai, have markings such as 'Made in USA', 'Made in England' and 'Made in Austria'. However, Navi Mumbai crime branch officials said that despite tall claims, these guns are primarily manufactured in foundries in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, and later sold in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi, and Haryana, among others, at cheap rates.
"We have so far seized 17 illegal country... (GunPolicy.org)
Illicit Gun Trade Remains in Traditional Chinese Village Allowed Firearms
29 April 2014
Japan Times
BIASHA, China – A rifle shot tears the air of a mountain hamlet — met not with terror but cries of delight in China's only remaining village where authorities encourage gun ownership.
"We start carrying guns from about 15 years old," said Jia Xinshan, fingering a wooden rifle's trigger as tourists snapped pictures of him in a shiny black coat. "We're the last gun tribe in China."
The armaments in Biasha, a village tucked amid the wooded peaks of Guizhou province,... (GunPolicy.org)
Gangs Use 'Antique' Guns Loophole to Import Banned Guns into UK
17 April 2014
London Evening Standard
Criminals are using a legal loophole to import guns into Britain for use in street shootings and robberies, the Standard can reveal.
They are exploiting legislation allowing people to own firearms legally if the weapons are classified as "antiques", according to police and officials.
The guns — which detectives say are lethal weapons — are brought from Europe, where they are easily and legally bought at antique arms fairs. Police say they are also being traded in... (GunPolicy.org)
Firearms Amnesty in Martinique Recovers Over 800 Guns [FR]
14 April 2014
Le Monde (France)
[Translated summary: Since the beginning of the year, out of 13 homicides, 10 were committed with firearms. Since the start of the amnesty, over 800 firearms have been recovered. Most firearms circulating in Martinique are shotguns that were diverted during robberies and then altered (sawed-off shotguns).]
Le 26 février, en plein jour, un jeune homme de 29 ans était froidement abattu sous les yeux de sa mère au coeur du quartier Godissard, une cité populaire de... (GunPolicy.org)
15,000 Guns Taken From Gang in Record Illegal Gun Seizure in China
14 April 2014
Xinhua
GUIZHOU - Police in southwest China's Guizhou Province have seized a record number of illegal guns and knives in a cross-province raid that also captured 15 suspects, China Daily reported on Monday.
The police busted a gang involving in manufacturing and selling weapons and confiscated about 15,000 guns and 120,000 controlled knives.
It was the largest such seizure ever in China, the newspaper said.
The police found out after a four-month investigation that the... (GunPolicy.org)
Several Assault Weapons Seized from Suspected Kidnappers in Nigeria
5 April 2014
Premium Times (Nigeria)
The Anambra State Police Command on Saturday paraded 19 suspected kidnappers.
The command also displayed arms and three bags of cannabis recovered from the hoodlums.
The arms include five AK-47 rifles; a barrater pistol, six pump action guns, 9,000 live cartridges; eight AK-47 magazines and a locally made pistol.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Usman Gwary, paraded the suspects at the Special Anti-Robbery Squad Office in Awkuzu, near Onitsha in Anambra.
Mr.... (GunPolicy.org)
Spanish Police Dismantle Illegal Homemade Firearms Factory, Arrest Nine
2 April 2014
Xinhua
MADRID - The Spanish Civil Guard arrested nine people in an operation dismantling an illegal weapons factory on Wednesday.
The Spanish Ministry of the Interior confirmed that Operation "Bulldog" also led to them seizing 109 firearms, 5,500 bullets, a kilo and a half of gunpowder, tools and machinery used to adapt firearms and 47,200 euros (65,100 U.S. dollars) in cash.
The operation was centered on the town of Laguna de Duero in central Spain, from where the Ministry... (GunPolicy.org)
Sierra Leone Gunsmiths Become Blacksmiths, Mark Firearms for Officials
2 April 2014
Awoko (Sierra Leone)
In a bid to provide alternative livelihood for local manufacturers of light weapons such as shotguns, Action on Armed Violence (AOAV) has registered some 1,500 Blacksmiths in the Mano River Basin as pilot beneficiaries aimed at achieving that objective.
The exercise, also aimed at reducing the impact of armed violence in the four-member country sub regional organization, was recently announced by the Programme Manager of AOAV, Francis Owane-Addo at the launch of the... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Battle Illegal Arms Ahead of India Elections
2 April 2014
Channel NewsAsia (Singapore)
NEW DELHI - While gun laws in India are strict, local police are battling a growing problem of illegal firearms.
It is a major concern in the lead-up to the general elections, along with illicit liquor.
Firearms made in the countryside are bought in bulk by local political workers.
Ahead of the general elections which are due in a fortnight, the guns are used for protection in clashes, or to intimidate rural voters.
The police and the Election Commission maintain a... (GunPolicy.org)
Editorial: Nepal's Laws on Arms Possession Must Be Made More Stringent
19 March 2014
Ekantipur (Nepal), Editorial
Two weeks ago, the police arrested billionaire Mahesh Bahadur Singh on charges of extortion, abduction and loansharking. Upon searching Singh's home in Bhanimandal, Lalitpur, police discovered four .22 long rifles, two 12-bore shotguns and one air gun along with 97 rounds of .22 cartridge, 29 12-bore cartridges and four magazines. According to SSP Ramesh Kharel, police chief of Kathmandu, Singh would reportedly display his guns to the people who owed him money and ask... (GunPolicy.org)
Indian Officials Cracking Down on Illegal Homemade Gun Factories
13 March 2014
Times of India
RAJKOT - Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the Special Operations Group (SOG) of Rajkot police cracked down on an illegal weapon manufacturing unit in Sardhar village near Jasdan and arrested five persons besides recovering 10 country made firearms and six cartridges.
Police commissioner Mohan Jha said, "The general elections are approaching and we are taking preventive measures while keeping a watch on illegal activities. We have arrested Manhar alias Munno Jadeja, Sindha... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Homemade Guns Easily Available in Indian Region
9 March 2014
Hindustan Times (Delhi)
In Mamata Banerjee's Bengal, at least one business is flourishing – manufacturing and sales of guns and bombs.
The TMC chief, who famously drove Tata Nano out of Bengal, is finding very tough to rein in the illegal arms manufacturers, who are out to make a fast buck in the election season.
"We are keeping round-the-clock vigil and are conducting frequent raids," Howrah police commissioner Ajey Ranade told HT.
Ranade would know as he supervised a joint operation... (GunPolicy.org)
Australian Man Charged with Making Handgun Involved in Homicide
7 March 2014
Australian (Sydney)
Police investigating the shooting murder of a man in southern NSW have arrested and charged a man with illegally manufacturing a pistol.
A 32-year-old man died in Albury Base Hospital on October 30 last year after being shot in the head at Lavington the previous night.
Police arrested a 27-year-old man and charged him with murder.
Police investigations continued, with detectives focusing on the manufacture and supply of prohibited pistols in the region.
On Thursday... (GunPolicy.org)
Outlaw California Gun Shop Made, Sold Unmarked Machine-Guns
28 February 2014
Reuters
Two Mexican nationals were indicted on Thursday on charges of running an outlaw weapons-supply shop in northern California that assembled and sold unmarked, illegal firearms and accessories, including machine-guns and silencers.
A federal grand jury in Sacramento indicted brothers Luis Cortez-Garcia, 44, and Emiliano Cortez-Garcia, 37, on one count each of unlawful manufacturing and sales of firearms, conspiracy to unlawfully manufacture and sell firearms and multiple... (GunPolicy.org)
Pakistan,South Asia,Afghanistan,United States,Russia
Disturbing Firearms Proliferation in Pakistan
24 February 2014
Daily Times (Lahore)
The proliferation of small arms and light weapons is one of the major security challenges currently faced by South Asia and Pakistan in particular. The trafficking and varied availability of these weapons fuel communal conflict, political instability and pose a threat, not only to security, but also to viable development. According to the Red Cross, one out of every two casualties in a war is a civilian stuck in the crossfire. The easy use and light weight of small... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Seize Illegal Firearms from 'Gun Workshop' in Algeria
21 February 2014
Kuwait News Agency
ALGIERS - The Algerian security services on Friday seized a workshop for manufacturing firearms and ammunition in Biskra province, some 400 kms to the southeast of Algiers.
Two workers, a man and his son, were arrested at the site, located at the basement of a house in the area.
The police seized five guns, shooting rifles, 10 knives, five kilograms of gunpowder, 400 ready-to-use bullets and arms making equipment.
The authorities are investigating whether the... (GunPolicy.org)
Senegal PM Supports Continued Work Preventing Firearm Proliferation [FR]
18 February 2014
Agence de Presse Sénégalaise (Senegal)
[Translated summary: The Senegalese Prime Minister is supporting efforts to prevent illegal manufacturing and trafficking of firearms in Senegal, chairing a workshop on proliferation of weapons. Authorities are concerned about the human rights and development costs of insecurity caused by small arms proliferation, and Senegal has signed regional and international agreements related to this issue.]
Le Sénégal mise sur la prévention pour combattre et éradiquer la... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigerian Police Bans Issue of New Gun Licences
8 February 2014
Leadership (Abuja)
In his renewed move to curb the proliferation of arms and thuggery, the inspector-general of police (IGP), Mr Mohammed Abubakar, has banned the issuance of new firearms licences to individuals.
This was disclosed to journalists in Lagos yesterday by force police public relations officer Frank Mba, at the pull-out ceremony of some top police officers at the Police College, Ikeja, Lagos, yesterday.
Mba said that arms proliferation and thuggery were among security... (GunPolicy.org)
Three Home-Made Guns Found in Boat by Malaysian Authorities
5 February 2014
New Straits Times (Malaysia)
SANDAKAN - The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), Sandakan district (DM17), found three home-made guns together with 23 bullets left in a boat in the Beluran waters, yesterday.
DM17 enforcement head, Kapt Maritim A.Razak Abdul Rahman said the APMM DM17 speed boat had come across a suspicious-looking boat left in the Sungai Nyamuk area without the engine and crew.
The home-made rifles or 'bakakuk' and the bullets were hidden in a compartment in the boat, he... (GunPolicy.org)
Cape Verde Launches Firearms Amnesty [PT]
25 January 2014
Portugal Digital
[Translated summary: Cape Verde authorities have launched a national campaign for the voluntary surrender of illegal firearms, estimated by police to be around 6,500. In the last two years, 538 firearms and 414 homemade guns were seized. Authorities said firearms were involved in 44 homicides, 323 injuries and 632 assaults. A new law was signed in 2012 to create systems to improve security and prevent the proliferation of illegal firearms.]
Praia - O Ministério da... (GunPolicy.org)
NGO Says Criminals in Ghana Getting Homemade Guns Illegally From Artisans
25 January 2014
Vibe Ghana, Opinion
Mr. Baffour Amoa, President of the West African Action Network on Small Arms (WAANSA), on Friday urged security agencies to clamp down on the activities of artisans, to prevent them from manufacturing small arms.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency on the state of the acquisition of small arms in the country, he pointed out that "some artisans secretly produce and sell locally-manufactured guns to armed robbers".
He said the law stipulates that artisans can... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal, Homemade Guns in Hands of South African Youth
18 January 2014
Independent/IOL Daily News (South Africa)
CAPE TOWN - Teenage hitmen as young as 14 are terrorising the streets of Mitchells Plain, and while police battle to curb the rampant gun trade, the increasing use of homemade firearms threatens to further derail any chance of controlling gang violence.
Mitchells Plain's worst areas, such as Beacon Valley, have at least one illegal gun on every street, according to police.
Gangs are using the bravado of youths as a means to eliminate their rivals, sometimes with crude... (GunPolicy.org)
Russian Arms Trafficking Ring Raided
17 January 2014
RIA Novosti (Russia)
MOSCOW – Russian security officers have seized a cache of weapons and arrested 15 people suspected of trafficking in small arms, the Interior Ministry said on its website Friday.
The group allegedly smuggled the weapons into Russia by car from the Baltic countries for delivery to the Moscow Region.
The suspects were arrested by police and Federal Security Service officers during a series of raids in the Pskov Region along Russia's western border with Estonia and... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Gangs Load Up on Antique Guns, No Registration Required
12 January 2014
Independent (UK)
Surrounded by a fearsome array of 2,000 assorted lethal weapons ranging from a rocket-propelled grenade to a homemade blunderbuss, Tony Gallagher points to a rack of 100-year-old revolvers straight out of a cowboy film. He said: "We're seeing a few more of these on the streets now."
As a forensic expert for the National Ballistics Intelligence Service (NABIS) at its high-security laboratory in an anonymous building in a Birmingham suburb, Tony and his colleagues know... (GunPolicy.org)
Cache of Guns Seized From Malay Man with Criminal Record, No Licence
7 January 2014
Star (Malaysia)
GEORGE TOWN - An ex-serviceman, said to be savvy in handling firearms, has been nabbed for possessing an arsenal of weapons without licence.
Acting on a tip-off, a police team stormed the house of the 53-year-old man in Permatang Buloh, Kepala Batas.
They seized a Beretta pistol with a magazine containing 11 bullets, a fake pistol and its magazine, three homemade airguns and a homemade shotgun during the 3pm raid on Saturday.
Also seized was a bag containing a... (GunPolicy.org)
Top Ghana Cop Calls for Restrictions on Homemade Guns After Fatal Shooting
3 January 2014
Ghana Web
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Augustine Gyennin, Ashanti Regional Police Commander, on Thursday called for the reining-in of locally-made arm manufacturers to help bring crime under control.
He said the soaring armed robbery threatening the security of law-abiding citizens was being fuelled by the production of locally-made arms and everything must be done to stop the producers.
DCOP Gyennin has, however, assured of police continuous protection and firm resolve... (GunPolicy.org)
Japanese Defence Officials Fear Assault Rifle Stolen in 'Unprecedented' Case
26 December 2013
Japan News / Yomiuri Shimbun
The Ground Self-Defense Force has been unable to find an assault rifle that went missing at the force's Higashi Fuji Maneuvers Area in Shizuoka Prefecture in October, it has been learned.
As the force was unable to find the Howa Type 89 assault rifle after a two-month intensive search, it has concluded that the rifle was taken by somebody. The force's police unit has began an investigation on suspicion of theft.
The rifle, which was issued to a GSDF member, was not... (GunPolicy.org)
Two Arrested with Homemade Guns in Malaysia
22 December 2013
Borneo Post
MIRI - Two men were arrested in a police raid late Friday evening for illegal possession of firearms.
Miri Police chief ACP Mun Kok Keong said the operation was conducted by Miri CID and Criminal Prevention Unit team.
In the raid held around 4pm to 6pm on Friday in Lambir, a homemade air gun and a homemade shotgun were seized from a hut where the two suspects were staying at.
During the raid, police also confiscated several items believed to be stolen, such as a... (GunPolicy.org)
Stiffer Penalties for Firearms Smuggling Sought in Philippines
13 December 2013
Philippine Star
MANILA - A lawmaker has filed a measure that would impose stiffer penalties for firearms smuggling.
Under House Bill 2696 or the proposed "Anti-Firearms Smuggling Act of 2013," smugglers of firearms will face 12 to 20 years or even life imprisonment and fines of one to five million pesos.
"Smuggling of firearms is a dangerous but profitable criminal enterprise. It not only threatens public safety and national security but also endangers and oftentimes, results in loss... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigerian Catholic Priest Investigated Over Illegal Guns
7 December 2013
Vanguard (Lagos)
Police authorities in Imo State are investigating a Roman Catholic priest (names withheld) for unlawful possession of firearms. The priest, said to be in-charge of one of the prominent Parishes in Dikenafai, Ideato South Local Government area, Imo State, was arrested for allegedly being in possession of three unlicensed guns with which he threatened the lives of his parishioners.
Crime Guard reliably gathered that the guns which include one pump action riffle, one... (GunPolicy.org)
Malay Police Call for Surrender of Homemade Shotguns
5 December 2013
Borneo Post
KAPIT - Police here are calling on the public to immediately surrender their homemade shotguns or bekakok.
Kapit police chief DSP Entusa Imam warned that anyone found illegally in possession of bekakok would be charged under the Firearms Act 1960.
"Once you surrender the homemade gun to the police, I can assure you that the police would not take any action against you, but once you are caught having in your possession the homemade gun, then you will be in big trouble... (GunPolicy.org)
Costa Rica has Seized More Than 8,000 Illegal Firearms Since 2010
3 December 2013
Latin American Herald Tribune (Venezuela)
SAN JOSE – Costa Rican authorities have seized more than 8,000 firearms since President Laura Chinchilla took office in May 2010, the Security Ministry announced Tuesday.
"It is important to emphasize the planning and preventive work that is being carried out at different places in the national territory and conflict zones, where we are seizing these weapons every day to thus prevent crimes and violent acts," said Security Minister Mario Zamora in a... (GunPolicy.org)
3-D Gun Printing: New-Wave Threat Bigger, Smaller Than Headlines
1 December 2013
OSCE
Like many technological advances that make the headlines, the technique of 3D printing, or additive fabrication as it is more properly called, is not really new. industrial manufacturers have been using it for decades, primarily as a quick way of creating prototypes.
What is new, however, is that 3D printers have become inexpensive enough to be readily available to the average person. Nowadays you can get a 3D printer for US$1,000 – although you will still pay a... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Crack Down on China's Online Gun Sales
25 November 2013
Global Times (China)
Peng Di (pseudonym), an engineer from Wuhan, Central China's Hubei Province, did not expect to spend the rest of his life in prison or face the death penalty, for a hobby.
Despite the fact that China has many gun enthusiasts, the hobby has its risks. Peng went further than simply studying guns and decided to buy 1,300 air gun pellets online from a US vendor in 2011.
Peng was charged with smuggling ammunition after he bought over 1,000 non-military bullets from... (GunPolicy.org)
3D Guns Seen as Threat as 'Invisible' Gun Law Expires in US
15 November 2013
USA Today
WASHINGTON — When a decades-old law banning undetectable firearms expires less than a month from now, federal agents say a plastic weapon created on a 3-D printer could emerge as a national security threat.
The homemade plastic gun, known as the "Liberator .380" and made with a computer blueprint, a 3-D printer and plastic resin, could pass through security checkpoints without setting off metal detectors.
The gun uses only the smallest bits of metal for ammunition... (GunPolicy.org)
Two Held for 'Smuggling' Homemade Firearms into Indian City
14 November 2013
Indian Express
Two men were arrested in Grant road Wednesday evening by Mumbai Police Crime branch for allegedly smuggling unlicenced firearms into the city, police said.
Police said both the suspects are natives of Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh and were nabbed outside Grant Hotel based on a tip-off. While one of the suspects, Aarif Mohammad (33), works in the leather industry, the other — Iqbal Ahmad (21) is a cobbler, police said. A country-made pistol worth Rs 30,000 and two live rounds... (GunPolicy.org)
Two Men Arrested in India with Illegal Homemade Handguns
13 November 2013
Times of India
NEW DELHI - Just 20 days to go for the assembly elections to take place, and the city is overflowing with illegal weaponry. The crime branch has nabbed two men with 19 sophisticated pistols and two dozen cartridges. The men worked for notorious arms manufacturer Gurbakht Singh alias Fauji who manufactured the guns in the remote jungles of Madhya Pradesh where there are no police stations or patrols for miles together.
The gang used tribal men as carriers and is a... (GunPolicy.org)
South Sudan,Somalia,Burundi,Liberia,Ghana,United States,Europe,Zimbabwe,Uganda,Tanzania,Sudan,Nigeria,Namibia,Kenya,Ethiopia,Africa
How Disarmament in Africa Got More Complicated
5 November 2013
IPI Global Observatory
Africa is ground zero in the international debate on controlling the small arms and light weapons trade. For more than a decade, diplomatic activity to contain arms and ammunition transfers has been animated by a concern with instability and contagion generated by the continent's many wars. Leading think tanks, research groups, and advocacy organizations have repeatedly drawn attention to the way the burden of armed violence in Africa is a product of low-tech assault... (GunPolicy.org)
Concern Over the Number of Guns Seized in Argentine City [ES]
3 November 2013
El Litoral (Argentina)
[Translated summary: Police in Santa Fe, Argentina have seized 644 firearms so far this year. This is an increase from 474 seized in 2011 and 523 in 2012.]
Sólo en lo que va del año, la policía secuestró 644 armas de fuego de distintos calibres, en intervenciones concretadas en diversos puntos de la ciudad.
El número resulta por demás significativo si se tiene en cuenta que supera a las 474 armas secuestradas durante todo el 2011 y a las 523 que se incautaron en... (GunPolicy.org)
Malay Gunmaker Arrested with Homemade Guns, Ammo
2 November 2013
Borneo Post
SIBU - A professional gun-maker was arrested by the police on Tuesday along with an air rifle, a shot gun and bullets he purportedly made for sale seized.
"The suspect is an expert in making guns as the weapons seized were properly made," Sibu police chief ACP Shafie Ismail said in a press conference at Sibu Central police station here yesterday.
He said the 40-year-old suspect completed the work on two guns within two months after learning the know-how for two... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Concern as Possible 3D 'Gun Parts' Found in UK Crime Raid
25 October 2013
BBC News
A 3D printer and suspected "homemade" gun components seized during police raids in Manchester are being examined.
Officers initially thought they could be a "plastic magazine and trigger" which would make a "viable" gun.
But a man who was arrested in connection with the raid said the parts were sections of the 3D printer.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has now said it "cannot categorically say" whether the objects are the component parts for a gun.
The arrested... (GunPolicy.org)
'Cottage Industry' Feeds Illegal Gun Trade in Canada
24 October 2013
Vancouver Sun (British Columbia)
Some B.C. residents are capitalizing on the illicit gun trade by making gun parts and even firearms to sell to local criminals.
Cpl. Frank Grosspietsch of the RCMP's National Weapons Enforcement Support Team said a "cottage industry" has sprung up in B.C. in recent years among people willing to arm gangsters and other criminals.
B.C.-made noise suppressors - which muffle gunshots and are commonly and inaccurately called silencers - have been used in recent murders,... (GunPolicy.org)
Brunei Siblings Arrested Over Crime Guns
24 October 2013
Brunei Times
KUCHING, Sarawak - Three siblings detained by police in Serian, about 60km from here on Monday, are now being investigated for their involvement in crimes using firearms, Serian District police chief DSP MohdJamali Umi said on Tuesday.
He said four guns and nine rounds of ammunition were found in the possession of the suspects, aged between 22 and 43, when a police team raided a house at Jalan Kuching-Serian on Monday.
Speaking to the media at the Se-rian District... (GunPolicy.org)
Malay Police Seize 1,000 Guns in Five Years, Gun Smuggling Continues
23 October 2013
Sun Daily (Malaysia)
KUALA LUMPUR - The Home Ministry (KDN) has established a new standard operating procedure (SOP) to address the problem of lost firearms, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the SOP would also ensure stern action would be taken against police personnel who were negligent in leaving their firearms in their cars.
"The SOP is different from the past. It will address the problem in accordance with the current... (GunPolicy.org)
Malay Police Face Penalties Over Lost Guns
23 October 2013
Malay Mail (Kuala Lumpur)
KUALA LUMPUR — Putrajaya revealed today that it has taken action against 24 police officers for losing their guns over the last three years, according to deputy Home Minister Datuk Wan Junaidi Wan Jaafar.
Wan Junaidi said that 13 officers were slapped with disciplinary action for the offence in 2010, followed by four others in 2011 and another seven the following year.
"We may call it disciplinary action, but it is more serious than it sounds. It is more like a... (GunPolicy.org)
British Crime Gangs Adapting Antique Guns, As Crackdown Limits Supply
22 October 2013
BBC News
Antiques and obsolete guns are being adapted and used by criminals facing a shortage of weapons, according to police.
A decade ago, Britain's cities were experiencing a surge in gun crime but, following successful interventions by crime agencies and the government, the number of firearms offences annually is now half what it was in 2003, according to the Office for National Statistics.
One reason is the supply of weapons has been severely restricted, forcing criminals... (GunPolicy.org)
Pakistan's Darra Adam Khel, the Gun Making Capital of the World
18 October 2013
Daily Bhaskar (India)
KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA, Pakistan - Darra Adam Khel is a town in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, located between Peshawar and Kohat, very close to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. It is inhabited by Pashtuns of the Afridi clan, the Adam Khel. The town consists of one main street lined with shops, with some alleys and side streets containing workshops. Darra Adam Khel is devoted entirely to the production of ordnance.
Located in between Kohat and... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 160 Guns Seized by Ghana Police as Concerns Over Crime Grow
15 October 2013
Spy Ghana (Ghana)
A total of 161 guns has been seized during Police operations from January to June, Mr Prosper Agblor, Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) said on Monday. He said out of the number, 93 were locally made single barrel shotguns, 41 locally manufactured pistols, 10 imported pistols, eight pump action guns, five AK47 assault rifles and four locally made double barrel shotguns.
Mr Agblor said 463 assorted ammunition were also seized during the... (GunPolicy.org)
New Firearms Offences Planned in South Australia Gun Crime Crackdown
14 October 2013
ABC News (Australia)
The South Australian Government said it would take more steps to crack down on gun crime.
Premier Jay Weatherill said new offences would be created and police given wide-ranging additional powers.
Under planned changes to the Firearms Act, the trafficking of firearms will become an offence, with a maximum prison sentence of 20 years.
People unlawfully in possession of a loaded firearm could face a fine of $75,000 or 15 years in jail.
Mr Weatherill said police would... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Gangs Use 'Antique' Guns as Police Crack Down on Suppliers
9 October 2013
Evening Standard (London)
Crime gangs are resorting to old-style handguns used in historic conflicts such as the Second World War after the success of police raids on gun suppliers, a Scotland Yard detective said today.
Gangsters are exploiting a "grey area" which means antique or old weapons owned by legitimate firearms dealers are being passed on to street gangs.
Detective Inspector Paul Dorey, of the Yard's Trident Gang Crime Command, said police had seen an increase in seizures of older... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Gang Armourer Jailed Over Banned Handgun, Homemade Ammo
7 October 2013
Daily Mail (UK)
An illegal armourer has been jailed for a raft of firearms and drugs offences, including possessing two handguns and hundreds of bullets.
Today at Maidstone Crown Court, Thomas Keatley, 28, of Sussex, was sentenced to nine years and four months after he was found with two handguns, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, gun-making equipment and a large quantity of cannabis.
Keatley, arrested as part of an investigation by the Metropolitan Police Service's anti-gun Trident... (GunPolicy.org)
Porous India-Bangladesh Border Gives Easy Access to Guns
21 September 2013
Dhaka Tribune
Smuggling of small firearms into Bangladesh, especially pistol and revolver, through three bordering districts has become rampant as the gunrunners have found the routes safe for their illicit trade.
The three districts are Chapainwababganj, Satkhira and Jessore.
Sources at the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police told UNB small firearms, especially pistol and revolver, which are very easy to carry, are being smuggled into the country as professional... (GunPolicy.org)
Tanzania Authorities Seize 47 Guns in Illegal Immigrant Operation
20 September 2013
Tanzania Daily News
47 guns, 600 rounds of ammunition impounded
3,400 cattle abandoned
OPERATION "Kimbunga" (whirlwind) does not only target illegal immigrants but also criminals who have been vandalizing public and private property in Kagera, Kigoma and Geita regions, the government explained .
The operation's Head of Communications, Ms Zamaradi Kawawa, said in a statement that the operation has netted suspected armed bandits, poachers as well as weapons such as hand grenades, guns and... (GunPolicy.org)
Sierra Leone Gets Weapon Marking Machine
5 September 2013
Awoko (Sierra Leone)
The Sierra Leone National Commission on Small Arms (SLeNCSA) yesterday received two Electric Marking Machines through its partnership with the Action on Armed Violence (AOAV).
The Marking Machines if effectively utilized, will aid the Sierra Leone National Commission on Small Arms and the Government in general, to trace weapons in the possession of primary forces and civilians in Sierra Leone.
According to the Commissioner of the Sierra Leone National Commission on... (GunPolicy.org)
Cops Bust Home Made Gun Factory in India, Seize Guns, Ammo and Parts
4 September 2013
Times of India
BIHARSHARIF - Special task force (STF), Patna and Nalanda police in a joint operation unearthed a mini-gun factory at Kohna Sarai locality of Biharsharif under Laheri police station area on Tuesday and recovered huge cache of arms and ammunition and equipment used in making illegal firearms. Two persons have been arrested in this connection.
Laheri SHO Uday Shankar said the district police in a joint raid with Patna STF unearthed the gun factory at Kohna sarai locality... (GunPolicy.org)
United Arab Emirates,Syria,Yemen,Turkey
Turkish Police Storm Gun Factory, Intercept Shipment to Middle East
3 September 2013
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
Turkish police have stormed an illegal arms manufacturing factory in the central Anatolian province of Konya, seizing 4,500 guns and detaining two dozen suspects believed to be involved in the production and shipment of the arms to Middle Eastern countries.
Last fall, Yemeni authorities confiscated boxes of ammunition originating from Turkey in the southern Yemeni city of Aden. Officials seized 3,000 pistols found in biscuit boxes inside a container that came from... (GunPolicy.org)
Cameroonians Demand Action on Central Africa Gun Treaty
2 September 2013
Deutsche Welle
Hardly a day goes by in Cameroon without reports of an armed robbery or pirate attacks off the coast. Residents in Yaounde, the capital, say the region's rising crime rate is making them more and more afraid to go about their everyday lives. Violent crime has gone up 22 percent in the last 10 years according to authorities.
And yet, in 2011 a potential solution was in sight. The Economic Community of Central African States had approved a gun control treaty for small... (GunPolicy.org)
Indonesia Police Arrest Suspected Kingpin in Homemade Firearms Ring
30 August 2013
Jakarta Globe
Jakarta Police have arrested a man believed to be the alleged kingpin behind the manufacture and sale of illegal weapons in Central Jakarta on Wednesday.
This follows the arrest of another suspect by the name of Ramli, also known as Iqbal Hussaini, in Cipayung, East Jakarta on Tuesday night .
Ramli is believed to be a gun supplier for terrorists and has served prison terms for plotting to kill cleric and Liberal Islamic Network official Ulil Abshar Abdalla.
"The... (GunPolicy.org)
Ghana Police Ask Public for Help to Curb Illegal Gun Numbers
28 August 2013
Vibe Ghana
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Emmanuel Baah, Bechem District Police Commander, has appealed to the general public to assist the police to arrest people in possession of illegal arms and ammunitions.
He said it was the responsibility of the police to ascertain whether people who possessed arms had permit or not, and behooved on the public to notify the police whenever they come across such people.
DSP Baah made the appeal at a stakeholders' meeting organised by... (GunPolicy.org)
Nepal Govt Collects Over 6,700 Illegal Arms
22 August 2013
Global Times (China)
The government of Nepal has collected over 6,700 illegal arms used by the citizens as well as criminals after issuing public notices to surrender the weapons, Nepal's Ministry of Home Affairs confirmed on August 22.
"As of Thursday, the number of arms brought under the government's control has reached 6,745 units," Uddab Bhattarai, a Ministry spokesperson, told Xinhua.
The arms include rifle, homemade gun, pistol and revolver, said Bhattarai, adding that they were... (GunPolicy.org)
'Guns and Roses' in Tanzania as Gun Homicide Rate Rises
11 August 2013
Tanzania Daily News
A few metres down the lane from the legendary 'Clock Tower' roundabout, along Sokoine Road, there is a special store which stocks arms and ammunition. The shop mostly serves as a reminder or monument indicating that people here are free to buy and own fire arms like pistols and guns, as long as their acquisitions are done in accordance with the law .
During the boom of Tanzanite mining in the 90s, many people who were in one way or another involved with Mirerani Hills,... (GunPolicy.org)
In Indonesia: Challenge is to Keep Out Illegal Guns
8 August 2013
Straits Times (Singapore)
Money may be the only constraint when it comes to owning a gun in Indonesia - illegally.
To own it legally, strict prerequisites apply. One must be physically and mentally fit, not bad-tempered - based on a psychology test at the national police headquarters - and between age 21 and 65, with no criminal record.
Police will also evaluate the need for owning a gun before granting a permit. High-ranking civil servants and senior managers at private firms may be... (GunPolicy.org)
In the Philippines: Gun Culture is Deep-Rooted, More Gun Control Wanted
8 August 2013
Straits Times (Singapore)
Visitors to the Philippines often do a double take at the signs outside restaurants, shops and office buildings requesting that firearms be deposited before entering.
It is a vivid reflection of this country's deep-rooted gun culture. Although there is no constitutional right to bear arms, civilians may own firearms, and even assault rifles.
There are 1.2 million registered firearms in the Philippines and 600,000 more with expired licences, according to police... (GunPolicy.org)
'Pillar Of The Community' Lived Double Life as UK Gangland Gun Dealer
6 August 2013
Daily Mail (UK)
A Tory candidate has been jailed for 16 years for selling submachine guns he smuggled from Serbia to drugs gangs in Britain.
Marcus Simpson, who narrowly missed out on being elected to his local council, offered gangsters a 'menu' of weapons that included a Scorpion submachine gun, a laser-sighted assault rifle and Walther PPKs, plus silencers and ammunition.
Simpson, 42, was a Conservative candidate for Corby, Northamptonshire, in the 2011 local elections. He lost by... (GunPolicy.org)
Officials Suspect Single-Barrel Guns Being Made in Liberia, Held Illegally
5 August 2013
New Republic Liberia
Unconfirmed reports gathered by this paper suggest that single-barrel guns widely used by hunters in all parts of Liberia are being produced here with reports pointing to Grand Gedeh and Lofa Counties, two of the counties with a significant portion of the country's tropical rainforests where there is incessant pillage and hunting of rare animals or endangered species as well as illicit mining by both local and migrant communities.
Artisans from neighboring countries... (GunPolicy.org)
Jamaica Police Hunt for Crime Guns Stolen from Licensed Owners
30 July 2013
Jamaica Gleaner
A military-police team was spurred into action in beleaguered communities in Annotto Bay, St Mary, after two licensed weapons reportedly owned by Robert Montague, who is chairman of the Jamaica Labour Party, were among four weapons being stored in a chest that fell into the wrong hands last week.
The four weapons - three shotguns and one revolver - were being stored in a chest that was stolen from a house that was burgled in the area, only days after Annotto Bay was... (GunPolicy.org)
New Philippines Gun Control Law to Licence Gunsmiths, Regulate Guns
27 July 2013
ABS-CBN News (Manila) / Philippine Star
MANILA, Philippines - A new law on gun control requires gunsmiths to have licenses for them to repair registered firearms.
This is one of the salient points in the newly approved Republic Act 10591, also known as the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, which will take effect in September, four months after President Aquino signed it on May 29.
Chief Superintendent Raul Petrasanta, chief of the Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO) said his unit has... (GunPolicy.org)
Two Guns Seized After India Shooting, Police Suspect Smuggling Link
25 July 2013
Times of India
BHUBANESWAR - Police on Wednesday cracked the firing on city-based businessman Harish Prasad Rath by arresting two men. Police said the motive of the attack that took place on July 20 was robbery.
Two country-made pistols, one 9 mm pistol and three rounds of ammunition were seized from the accused Prabhat Kumar Paikaray (40), alias Tukuna Dash and Tripati Gouda (28), alias Chotu.
"Paikaray was the mastermind. He worked at a grocery shop in front of Rath's office.... (GunPolicy.org)
Indian Gunsmiths Use Govt Loans for Tools, Floating Gun Factory Found
23 July 2013
India Today
If there was a prize for criminality with chutzpah, the gunmakers of Bihar's Munger district would win it hands down. Or hands up. A Central government employment scheme has been funding several talented gunsmiths in this district for years. Munger is the traditional hub of a flourishing indigenous gun-making industry, till recently geared to making crude single-shot kattas and now moving on to West-inspired pistols and rifles. It's all illegal, of course.
According to... (GunPolicy.org)
Man Arrested for Involvement in International Gun Smuggling to India
8 July 2013
Times of India
LUCKNOW - The Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) of the UP Police on Sunday arrested Ramzan Ali of Machhriya locality under Naubasta police station of Kanpur in connection with an international racket involving smuggling parts of top branded firearms from Hong Kong region into India and then assembling them together here to sell weapons to the underworld at a premium.
His name figured in the case after the arrest of retired airlines officer Deesa from Mumbai who has so far... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigerian Police Arrested as Part of Gun-Making Syndicate
5 July 2013
Sun News (Lagos)
Plateau State Police Command has arrested two policemen and 15 other persons suspected to be members of firearms production syndicates. The policemen, whose names were given as Corporal Joseph and Constable Mafwai were alleged to be suppliers of ammunition to criminals.
They have been dismissed by the police and would face prosecution alongside the other members of the gang who were arrested at Barkin Ladi. Parading the suspects before newsmen, Plateau State... (GunPolicy.org)
Journalists Print 3D Gun, Point it at Israeli President
4 July 2013
Times of Israel
Reporters managed to smuggle a home-made plastic gun into the Knesset with little difficulty, and pulled it out only meters away from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The correspondents from Channel 10′s nightly culture and technology program "Tzinor Layla" printed the gun using instructions downloaded from the Internet on a three-dimensional printer.
Investigative reporters from the program went through all the Knesset security checks with the gun in their... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Australia,Denmark
Danish Company Creates Programme to Block 3D Handgun Printing
2 July 2013
Copenhagen Post
Last year American company Defense Distributed introduced the first 3D printed firearm. Now an Aalborg-based company, Create it REAL, has created software that can recognise digital gun parts and block 3D printers from printing them.
Defense Distributed, which operates out of Texas, claims on its website to have created the 3D gun for the stated purpose of defending the "civil liberty of popular access to arms" as stated in the US Constitution. The blueprints for the... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Firearms Flood Bangladesh Amid Alleged Corruption
29 June 2013
Dhaka Tribune
In the wake of the ongoing city corporation polls around the country and the national elections due in a few months' time, illegal firearms have flooded every corner of the country.
Thanks to loose enforcement of law, these firearms, mostly smuggled across the border, are used unabated for political clashes, tender manipulation, extortion and street mugging.
Sources in law enforcement agencies have said political leaders, eyeing to flex muscles for political showdowns... (GunPolicy.org)
Vietnam Police Seize Illegal Pen Guns from Gang
20 June 2013
Viet Nam News
HAI PHONG – Police from northern Hai Phong City busted a ring involved in producing and trading fire-arms yesterday.
The case was exposed when police searched a house in Le Chan District's Nghai Xa Ward on Tuesday. They arrested a husband and wife for illegally producing fire-arms in Le Chan.
The police seized five pen guns, two self-made guns, one grenade and materials for producing weapons at their workshop.
A day later, police raided the house of another member... (GunPolicy.org)
Firearms Licence Requirements to be Made Stricter in Latvia
13 June 2013
Baltic News Network
According to the Saeima's supported amendments to the Law On the Handling of Weapons and Special Means, firearms licence requirements will be made stricter than they are now.
A new section was added to the law. It accounts for general health inspection. This section states conditions under which a person is to be sent for initial, regular and emergency health inspections. Regular health inspections will be required to be undergone by individuals who hold firearms... (GunPolicy.org)
Authorities Arrest Seven for Smuggling Guns Between India, Bangladesh
9 June 2013
Dhaka Tribune
Huge firearms are being smuggled from India into Bangladesh through different frontier points of Benapole, with gunrunners' syndicates active on both sides to negotiate any deal instantly.
These illegally brought weapons after reaching Benapole through different border points are supplied to different parts of the country, including Dhaka, says a UNB report from Benapole in Jessore.
Although members of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and law enforcers sometimes... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Homemade Pistols a Headache for India's Police
2 June 2013
Hindu (Chennai)
Illegal weapons manufactured in Munger in Bihar have found their way to various terror groups and criminal gangs in several parts of the country as well as to Bangladesh, officials have said.
Easy accessibility and low cost are the unique selling points of Munger's 9mm pistols where the buyers even get a heavy discount on bulk orders. This has led to the availability of the weapons in various parts of the country especially Maharashtra, Delhi and Madhya... (GunPolicy.org)
Four Men Arrested in Ghana for Illegal Gun Manufacturing
28 May 2013
Ghanaian Chronicle
KUMASI — The Ashanti Regional Police Command has arrested four suspects for manufacturing firearms without authority at Fumso in the Adansi West District.
The suspects are now in police custody, assisting with investigations.
DCOP Augustine Gyenin, Ashanti Regional Police Commander, who revealed this at a press briefing, said upon intelligence gathered from the ongoing investigations into the shooting incident in Kumasi on May 19, 2013, personnel from the Regional... (GunPolicy.org)
Armed Fugitive Admits Gun Smuggling in Bahrain
27 May 2013
Gulf Daily News (Bahrain)
An armed fugitive who tried to shoot policemen as he was arrested in Bani Jamra has confessed to being part of a gang that smuggled guns into Bahrain.
Redha Abdulla Isa reportedly admitted bringing a "large number" of automatic weapons and pistols that were used to attack police, as he appeared at the Public Prosecution yesterday.
He also confessed to making explosives and is wanted by police in connection with a car blast outside the Bahrain Financial Harbour (BFH)... (GunPolicy.org)
One Third of Gun Thefts Take Place in West Australia
23 May 2013
WA Today (Australia)
Organised criminals have started manufacturing their own guns, while Western Australia becomes home to nearly one third of national firearm thefts, police have revealed as part of a national blitz.
There were 459 guns stolen in WA last year, compared to the national estimate of 1500 gun thefts yearly.
In May there were 57 gun thefts and last night alone seven guns were stolen from a home in the Perth hills, which included shotguns, rifles and a handgun.
"Quite a... (GunPolicy.org)
India Police Seize 294 Illegal Guns in a Year
20 May 2013
Times of India
The police nabbed 271 men and seized from them 294 illegal firearms and 1,682 live cartridges from January 2012 to January 2013, an RTI reply shows. The arrested men were couriers who came to Mumbai to deliver weapons to gangsters.
The weapons ranged from sophisticated pistols to country-made revolvers, shows the reply to the RTI plea, which was filed by activist Chetan Kothari. The seizures show that gangland demand for firearms of Indian make has increased. The... (GunPolicy.org)
Philippines Police Continue Search for 400,000 Illegal Guns
19 May 2013
Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines — And the search goes on.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) will continue to look for over 400,000 loose firearms all over the country even after the election gun ban ends on June 12.
PNP Director General Alan Purisima said the police had been able to account for more than 200,000 unlicensed guns since the PNP Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO) launched a crackdown on loose firearms dubbed "Oplan Katok."
"The lifting of the gun ban… will... (GunPolicy.org)
US Govt Moves to Stop Spread of 3D Gun Plans Online
15 May 2013
Red Deer Advocate (Alberta), Opinion
The story so far: Cody Wilson, who describes himself as a "crypto-anarchist" and almost certainly wears a Second Amendment belt-buckle, had a bright idea early last year. No government could ever oppress its people again, reasoned the 25-year-old law student at the University of Texas, if everybody in the world was able to manufacture their own guns at home.
Well, not everybody in the world, exactly, but at least everybody with $8,000 to buy a 3D printer on eBay, or... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Report Shows 80 per cent of Guns Unregistered in Turkey
11 May 2013
World Bulletin (Istanbul)
A report recently drafted by the National Police Department's Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime Department shows that almost 80 percent of guns that police seized from individuals in incidents threatening public security from 2010-2012 were unregistered.
According to the report, the types of firearms confiscated in police operations over the course of past five years were manufactured guns (51 percent), handmade guns (33 percent), blank guns turned into real guns (16... (GunPolicy.org)
What is Gun Control Like in Ecuador?
8 May 2013
El Telégrafo
Most guns used by citizens Ecuador are still handmade.
Manufacturing guns in Ecuador has been illegal since Feb. 2012. However, most private security companies are still arming their guards with locally-made weapons acquired before February 2012.
In recent years, efforts to register and decommission guns that don't meet safety standards have increased. Last year, in most populated province Guayas, 9,958 guns were registered. In Pichincha in 2012: 9,145 guns. In... (GunPolicy.org)
US, Spanish Gun Lovers Download 3D Gun Plans 50,000 Times First Day
7 May 2013
New York Daily News
The first downloadable gun has gone viral.
The plastic firearm that can be churned out on a 3-D printer and easily assembled was downloaded at least 50,000 times Monday, according to the self-described anarchist who made it available for free online.
Cody Wilson of Defense Distributed, a collective of gun advocates, said the most downloads were done in Spain followed by the United States.
The prospect of terrorists getting hold of the guns by clicking a computer... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Seize Over 4,000 Weapons in Angola
30 April 2013
Angola Press Agency (Luanda)
CAXITO — At least 4,483 fire-arms, among which 3,333 AKM, were collected in the northen Bengo province in the last six years, as part of the disarmament process of citizens illegally owning weapons.
According to a weekly assessment from the National Police in Bengo sent to Angop on Monday, the collection includes 23,472 ammunitions, 1,390 magazines, 340 explosive devices and 26 grenades.
The statement informs that during last week the police recorded a compulsory... (GunPolicy.org)
Chinese Shooter Jailed for Injuring Man with Illegal Homemade Gun
24 April 2013
Shanghai Daily (China)
A drug user who shot a man in the leg with a homemade gun after a quarrel was sentenced to 33 months in prison, a local court ruled yesterday.
The shooter, Chen Rongbin, 34, was convicted of three crimes including intentional injury, illegal possession of firearms and illegal possession of drugs, Hongkou District People's Court officials said.
Prosecutors said Chen was playing a game on a machine in a game room at 710 Tangshan Road at 8pm on December 16. He had a... (GunPolicy.org)
India's Anti-Terrorist Squad Busts Gun Smuggling Gang
19 April 2013
Pioneer (India)
LUCKNOW - Sleuths of the Anti-Terrorists Squad (ATS) arrested four persons and claimed to have busted a gang which is smuggling parts of arms from overseas and assembling them here to dispose it off later to hardened criminals at higher rates. They said to have recovered arms in large quantity besides equipments and tools used for assembling.
Giving the details of the above development here on Thursday afternoon, ADG (law and order) Arun Kumar, said that the ATS is... (GunPolicy.org)
Indonesia Police Ask Citizens to Surrender Illegal Homemade Guns
18 April 2013
Borneo Post
MIRI - The people here who have in their homemade guns are urged to surrender them to the police station or risked legal action taken against them.
District police chief ACP Mun Kock Keong told a press conference here yesterday that they would not compromise with any group of individuals found in possession of the guns.
"It is a serious offence to possess such gun [sic]. The offenders could be jailed up to 14 years if found guilty under Section 4 of the Firearms... (GunPolicy.org)
Indonesia Police Say Most Armed Robbers Use Homemade Guns
17 April 2013
Jakarta Post
JAKARTA - The police revealed on Tuesday that most guns used in armed robberies were homemade.
City police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto said that 98 percent of the guns confiscated from robbery suspects were homemade and that most of them were made by air rifle makers.
"We are now tracing the air rifle makers who produce the homemade guns used in crimes," he said.
He added that the police had confiscated evidence such as raw materials for guns from an air rifle... (GunPolicy.org)
Kenyans Worried Over Use of Pistols, Homemade Guns as Crimes Rise
17 April 2013
Capital FM (Nairobi)
NAIROBI, Kenya – A survey conducted recently has revealed an alarming level of armed robberies and other violent crimes in Nairobi.
According to the study by Security Research and Information Centre, 41 percent of crimes reported are violent robberies and residents in all parts of the city are prone to such attacks.
Inspector General David Kimaiyo welcomed the Nairobi Regional Annual Crime Observatory Report, saying it will help in facilitating stakeholders to... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigeria Police Uncover 3 Gun Factories
13 April 2013
Daily Trust (Abuja)
ASABA — Police detectives from Anambra and Delta States have uncovered arms factories in three communities in Delta State.
This is just as residents of Alizomor in Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State fled the community after the corpse of ex-Anambra deputy governor Dr. Nwike Chidi was found in the area.
Police spokesman ASP Lucky Uyabeme said the discovery came when detectives stormed the community. He, however, said no arrest has been made.
The body of... (GunPolicy.org)
600,000 Unlicensed Guns in Philippines as Black Market Thrives
11 April 2013
France 24
Bespectacled and clean shaven, 37-year-old Jomari Paraas could pass for a typical office employee in the Philippines, except he has six guns in his backpack that he will soon sell.
The father-of-two is a prolific player in the country's enormous and lucrative weapons black market, which has been under scrutiny following a spate of high-profile massacres and shoot-outs this year.
"Why do I trade guns? Because there is a demand for it. And it's extra income," said... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Seize Homemade Guns, Manufacturing Equipment in India
11 April 2013
Times of India
KANPUR - In a major haul, the city police with the arrest of two persons have recovered 15 country-made pistols and 12 semi-finished guns of separate bores, several live cartridges, 81 big and small barrels of 315 bore, several furnaces, welding machines and other equipment used in manufacturing firearms. The arrested men were running an organized racket of illegal arms sale.
The police said two persons were arrested near the Juhi 'dhaal' area of the city on Tuesday.... (GunPolicy.org)
India Police say Criminals Trying to Buy Guns from Students
8 April 2013
Times of India
CHENNAI - Police are worried over local criminals attempting to source guns from students from north India.
After several instances of students from Jharkhand, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh brandishing firearms and an engineering college student pistol-whipping a classmate and his friend in Maduravoyal on Thursday, police said they are keeping a close watch on students from outside Chennai.
Some students and former students from other cities have links with criminals in... (GunPolicy.org)
Jilted Lover Kills Indian Girl's Dad, Injures Mom
4 April 2013
Times of India
NAGPUR - A 49-year-old office superintendent with joint director of technical education was shot with a country made revolver and stabbed to death by his daughter's male friend at his residence in ShriHarinagar near Manewada Ring road on Wednesday. YogeshDakhode's wife Kusum was also assaulted a number of times. The perpetrator Anwar Khan, 28, who was once in a relationship with Dakhodes' daughter, wanted to kill the girl too but was overpowered by neighbours before... (GunPolicy.org)
Printable Firearms a 'Grave Threat' to Australians
3 April 2013
News.com.au
Anti-gun activists are urging action to shutdown a controversial project to produce fully printable firearms and threat "to put a gun in the hands of every citizen".
Defense Distributed is behind the operation to manufacture the world's first fully printable, mostly plastic gun using basic three-dimensional printers which today cost as little as $1000.
The American company began testing its printed parts for a semi-automatic AR-15 rifle in December and have so far... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Arms Smuggling Continues to Thrive in Indian City
2 April 2013
Times of India
ALLAHABAD - The recent seizure of some sophisticated pistols from an arm smuggler by the Special Task Force here has again brought to fore the thriving smuggling of arms in the region. Most of these firearms are being smuggled from Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal or manufactured in small illegal units running in the district.
The graph of arms seized in past three years also points towards this fact. From desi kattas (local arms) to sophisticated smuggled guns,... (GunPolicy.org)
Police in Spain Seize 59 Illegal Guns, Parts in Sting Operation [ES]
25 March 2013
Vanguardia (Colombia)
[Translated summary - The Spanish Civil Guard has dismantled a criminal organisation making illegal firearms in Barcelona, some of which were linked to a double homicide. Five people were arrested and 59 weapons were seized, as well as parts and tools for gun manufacture.]
MADRID - La Guardia Civil ha desarticulado una organización criminal dedicada presuntamente al tráfico de armas por toda España, con el arresto de cinco personas, según ha informado el Ministerio... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Data Shows Spike in Illegal Gun Use in South Australia
24 March 2013
Advertiser (Adelaide)
Gun-toting criminals are more likely to use their gun to threaten someone now than they were five years ago, statistics show.
SA Police figures reveal there were 33 acts likely to endanger life involving a gun in 2011-12, compared with nine in 2007-08.
An act likely to endanger life with a firearm involves the firing of the gun in most cases, but the offence may also apply if a loaded gun is pointed at someone.
The Advertiser requested statistics from police for the... (GunPolicy.org)
Two Arrested Over Illegal Manufacture and Sale of Guns in Ghana
21 March 2013
Vibe Ghana
Prosper Adewornu alias Dzakpasu Kofi 50, a Blacksmith and his son Safari Daworlo 21, Auto Mechanic and Blacksmith, have been arrested for allegedly manufacturing and selling guns and gun parts at Kakadedzi on Ghana-Togo border.
Two locally manufactured pistols, seven old locally made shotguns and two foreign shotguns, six BB-short-barrel gun cartridges and 39 empty cartridges were retrieved from them.
A grinder, metal boring machine, hammers, a newly made shotgun... (GunPolicy.org)
South America,Eastern Europe,Thailand,Italy,Canada,United States,Philippines
The Gunmakers of the Philippines
20 March 2013
BBC News
CEBU, Philippines - A shot rings out from a factory on the outskirts of the Philippines' second-biggest city, Cebu.
But this isn't an all-too-frequent drive-by killing or an argument that has become violent.
The sound is from a testing range at Shooters Arms, the country's second-largest gun factory.
Shooters Arms produces about 20,000 pistols and shotguns every year, 85% of which are sold abroad - mainly to the US, Canada, Italy and Thailand.
Operations manager... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Regional Police Uncover Huge Stash of Firearms
20 March 2013
Oshawa Express (Ontario)
Durham Regional Police Inspector Mario Lessard of the Criminal Intelligence Branch was surrounded by a room full of guns.
There were weapons strewn about everywhere, all part of a massive seizure.
Grenades, landmines, 67 guns and a small cannon were recently found in a Bancroft home where a couple now faces more than 600 charges as a result.
But what does Durham have to do with this? According to Insp. Lessard, Durham is a member of the Provincial Weapons Enforcement... (GunPolicy.org)
39,880 Militants' Firearms, Ammunition Handed Over to Nigerian Army
17 March 2013
Vanguard (Lagos)
ENUGU — The 39,880 assorted firearms and ammunition recovered from former militants in the Niger Delta by the inter-agency taskforce set up by the Federal Government have been handed over to the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army.
A breakdown of the arms handed over on Saturday at the 82 Division's parade ground included the following: 482 automatic arms, 20,132 ammunition, 295 magazines and 18,971 locally made guns.
The General Officer Commanding the 82 Division... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Raise Alarm about Pen Guns after Drug Bust in Canada
12 March 2013
Calgary Herald (Alberta)
It's what you might expect to find in James Bond's arsenal of high-tech weapons.
But it's turning up in Calgary and possibly gaining popularity with those involved in the city's drug trade.
A .22-calibre pen gun with a half-mile range was discovered in a drug bust Tuesday in Forest Lawn. The weapon — which looks like an ordinary retractable pen — is the third of its kind seized by police in the past year.
"This pen looks no different than something you could buy... (GunPolicy.org)
Easily Available Home-made Handguns, 1st Choice of Criminals in Nepal
11 March 2013
Kantipur (Nepal)
PARSA - An 18-year-old boy brandished a pistol to threaten one of his friends over a minor dispute while playing snooker at Maisthan in Birgunj last Thursday.
Fortunately, the situation was brought under control as police reached the incident site immediately. The boy, however, managed to flee the scene upon seeing the police personnel.
On August 24, 2012, Rama Shankar Mandal, general secretary of the Madhesi Factory Workers' Forum, was shot dead by an unidentified... (GunPolicy.org)
Russian Police Raid Illegal Gun Workshop Making and Repairing Guns
7 March 2013
RIA Novosti (Russia)
MOSCOW – The police and the Federal Security Service (FSB) have uncovered an underground arms factory and large cache of firearms in the Moscow Region, the Interior Ministry reported on Thursday.
"Two underground workshops for arms re-engineering were liquidated and four suspected criminal gang members were arrested," the police reported in a statement.
The workshops were based in two garages west of Moscow, where the security forces discovered at least nine machine... (GunPolicy.org)
30 per cent of Costa Rican Crime Committed with Toy Guns
6 March 2013
Inside Costa Rica
At least three in ten armed robberies in Costa Rica are committed using a toy gun, according to the Judicial Investigation Organization (OIJ). This week, authorities destroyed 487 such toy guns that were being held in evidence in the National Arsenal.
Among toy guns confiscated by officers are replicas of revolvers, shotguns, AK47's, and pistols of different calibers, according to authorities.
Costa Rican authorities also warned, "the use of replica toy guns is a risk... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Bullets Cost the Same as Bread in Jamaica
3 March 2013
Gleaner (Jamaica)
In Jamaica, a loaf of bread retails at a corner shop for about $235 while a single 9mm bullet can be bought for about $280 or less. The degree of difficulty in purchasing the bread or the bullet is relatively the same: zero.
A special Sunday Gleaner probe has confirmed that one does not have to work up a sweat to buy bullets on the streets of Jamaica. It is literally no problem, as we found out when we purchased 25 of these 9mm bullets last week.
Anyone interested in... (GunPolicy.org)
Nepal Govt Asks Citizens to Submit Illegal Guns
2 March 2013
Himalayan Times (Kathmandu)
KATHMANDU - The Ministry of Home Affairs today appealed to all concerned to submit all types of weapons, both small and large, to the concerned District Administration Office, District Police Office or the nearest police unit by March 28, failing which legal action under the Arms and Ammunition Act-1963 would be initiated.
The move follows the growing possession and use of unlicenced weapons, small arms in particular, among the persons with criminal mindset to disturb... (GunPolicy.org)
Number of Illegally Held Guns Leads to Month Amnesty in Nepal
2 March 2013
Himalayan Times (Kathmandu)
KATHMANDU - The Ministry of Home Affairs today appealed to all concerned to submit all types of weapons, both small and large, to the concerned District Administration Office, District Police Office or the nearest police unit by March 28, failing which legal action under the Arms and Ammunition Act-1963 would be initiated.
The move follows the growing possession and use of unlicenced weapons, small arms in particular, among the persons with criminal mindset to disturb... (GunPolicy.org)
Sweden Holds Gun Amnesty to Get Illegal, Homemade Guns Off Street
1 March 2013
Local (Sweden)
Sweden on Friday commenced with its first weapons amnesty in more than five years, allowing anyone to turn illegal firearms in to police with no questions asked.
"From a law enforcement perspective, we are happy to have a new, temporary weapons amnesty underway," Detective Peter Thorsell of the legal division of the National Police Board (Rikspolisstyrelsen) said in a statement.
"Reducing illegal weapons possession is a very important measure for reducing gun... (GunPolicy.org)
Arrest of Thai Craft Manufacturer and Online Dealer
27 February 2013
Bangkok Post
Withaya Chai-Auari, 32, and Suriya Khoksombat, 25, should not be too surprised that they are in a Bangkok jail today. Making illegal guns and selling them through Facebook is a risky business.
Making and selling illegal guns is a risky business, especially when your customers are largely vocational college students and other teenagers.
Trying to expand your market through Facebook only increases the risk since police regularly monitor the internet for illegal... (GunPolicy.org)
Thai Men Arrested for Allegedly Selling Homemade Guns on Facebook
27 February 2013
Bangkok Post
Police have arrested two men for allegedly selling homemade guns, many of them to technical college students and teenagers, on Facebook.
The two suspects, Withaya Chai-Auari, 32, and Suriya Khoksombat, 25, were arrested in Bangkok yesterday.
An undercover police officer posing as a customer contacted Mr Withaya on the internet to buy weapons. Mr Withaya turned up for the meeting with the guns in Phahon Yothin Soi 55 and was immediately arrested, police said.
Police... (GunPolicy.org)
Handmade Firearms in Syria [FR]
22 February 2013
Le Figaro (France)
[Translated summary: PHOTOS - The Free Syrian Army is running short of weapons to fight a regular army armed with tanks, planes and helicopters. Thus, rebels now manufacture their own weapons.]
EN IMAGES- L'Armée syrienne libre (ASL) manque d'armes pour affronter une armée régulière munie de tanks, d'avions et d'hélicoptères. Ainsi, face à l'ennemi, les rebelles fabriquent désormais leurs propres armes avec les moyens du... (GunPolicy.org)
Australians Offered Rewards for Gun Info After Shootings, Amnesty
21 February 2013
Advertiser (Adelaide)
Rewards of up to $10,000 will be offered for people who give South Australian police information that leads to major gun busts.
Premier Jay Weatherill announced the measure today in response to a spate of recent shootings - 17 since December 31.
He said the state could have confidence most of the shootings were not random but conceded more needed to be done to address the problem.
The gun bounty follows a recent amnesty encouraging people to hand in illegal guns.
Mr... (GunPolicy.org)
Two Brunei Men Jailed After Being Caught with Illegal Homemade Guns
18 February 2013
Brunei Times
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN - Two men have been jailed for five years by the Magistrates' Court after they were caught with homemade firearms at Labi Forest reserve in 2007.
Senior Magistrate Lailatul Zubaidah Hussain said yesterday that the sentence was a reflection of the law's stringent stand against illegal possession of firearms.
"In the era of shootings in the world where people die senselessly, the court takes breach of such laws very seriously."
Under the Arms and... (GunPolicy.org)
India Police Arrest Alleged Gun Smugglers in Ongoing Crackdown
10 February 2013
Hindustan Times (Delhi)
NEW DELHI - Three gun runners, who were allegedly attempting to smuggle more than a dozen sophisticated firearms were caught 'red-handed' by the special cell, police said on Sunday. The firearms were to be sold to criminals operating in the NCR.
The trio was waylaid and nabbed from near the Anand Vihar-Ghazipur foot-over bridge around 5pm on Saturday, said Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, deputy commissioner of police (special cell). Their identities have been withheld due to the... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 100 Guns Seized After Venezuela Prison Massacre
8 February 2013
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Authorities have seized over 100 firearms, as well as ammunition and drugs, from the Venezuelan prison where dozens recently died in a riot, yet another indication of the total lack of state control over the country's infamously violent prison system.
In a February 7 press conference, Venezuelan Head of Penitentiary Affairs, Iris Varela, stated that 106 firearms, over 8,500 rounds of ammunition and an unspecified amount of cocaine and marijuana were found at Uribana... (GunPolicy.org)