Gun Policy News
Marking small arms to limit armed crime and violence
Mexico's Bold Move Against Gun Companies
1 September 2022
Arms Control Association
Of 193 member states of the United Nations, Mexico has the fifth-largest number of unregistered firearms in civilian hands, behind the United States, India, China, and Pakistan.(1) This availability of firearms and the violence it enables have major destructive consequences. In Mexico, guns are the weapon of choice in 70 percent of total homicides and 60 percent of homicides committed against women. Guns are also the main tool in homicides of young people.
Gun violence... (GunPolicy.org)
3D-printed firearm seized in Western Australia
14 June 2022
Armament Research Services (ARES), Web page
On 12 June 2022, the Western Australia Police Force (WAPOL) held a press conference to present the first fully functional 3D-printed firearm seized in the Australian state of Western Australia (WA) to date. The gun was reportedly seized on 3 June 2022 from an 18-year-old individual who had manufactured it at his home in the suburb of Bayswater, WA. In addition to the firearm, WAPOL reportedly also found a 3D printer, a suppressor, ammunition, and a set-up to make... (GunPolicy.org)
Honduras,Belize,El Salvador,Guatemala
U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, and Tobacco (ATF) Firearms Tracing Data (2015-2019) Revealed
11 January 2022
U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), Web page
Gangs and drug cartels commit much of the violence in Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. The guns they use are mostly from other countries, including the U.S.
While reducing violence in the region is a U.S. policy goal, agencies' efforts—such as helping countries secure their borders—haven't focused on guns. The State Department plans to focus more on gun trafficking but lacks information to tailor its programs to each country's needs. For instance,... (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)
LiNCSA Proposes Mandatory Registration of Hunting Guns
27 May 2021
Smart News Liberia
The Liberia National Commission on Small Arms (LiNCSA), through its Chairman has submitted a proposal to the Government of Liberia to begin the conduct of mandatory registration of single barrel hunting guns throughout Liberia within 180 days commencing July 2021 and granting full amnesty for the offense of illegal possession of single barrels hunting guns during the said period.
In a communication to His Excellency President George Manneh Weah dated May 25, 2021, the... (GunPolicy.org)
California Lawmakers Seek to Force Gunmakers to 'Microstamp' Bullet Casings
23 March 2021
Guardian
Gun control advocates are making a new attempt to force the gun industry to comply with a unique California law that requires bullet casings to be "microstamped", a measure that has been toothless since it was approved more than a decade ago.
California's 2007 law requires gun manufacturers to adopt microstamping technology on new types of handguns introduced in the state. The intent was to imprint a unique set of microscopic characters on all cartridge casings when... (GunPolicy.org)
Changes in Gun Policy Boost Number of Guns Owners in Brazil
12 February 2021
VICE
President Bolsonaro is encouraging weapons imports and shooting clubs, but discouraging the tracking of firearms in what observers say could be stoking violent crime.
Gun purchases in Brazil nearly doubled last year, yet controls on the purchase and use of weapons is weak and violent homicides are rising.
In 2020, nearly 180,000 new guns were registered in Brazil, the highest number on record and a 91% increase on the previous year.
In the first two years of his... (GunPolicy.org)
The Do's and Don'ts of Gun-handling in Uganda
11 September 2020
Daily Monitor (Uganda)
On the morning of September 5, a video clip showed State minister for Labour Mwesigwa Rukutana grabbing a gun from a police officer before aiming it at people in a car.
What followed is a long story. I review this safety and security incident by questioning and trying to answer to the question. This article tries to show what should be followed when one has or uses a firearm.
Firearms have different sizes and they include pistols, AK47, machine guns, anti-aircraft... (GunPolicy.org)
South Africa,United States,United Kingdom
Gun Trafficking from US to UK Increasing
12 August 2020
New York Times
Handguns are quietly being smuggled into Britain, despite tough gun-control laws. The police fear that the illegal weapons are contributing to a rise in gang-related crime.
NORTHAMPTON, England — Josh Bains was 28 when he was killed after an argument over a drug debt of about $50 just a few miles from the English village where he grew up — with a gun that had traveled thousands of miles from America.
His was one of a rising number of gun deaths in recent years... (GunPolicy.org)
GunPolicy Director on Proposed Firearms Registry in New Zealand
28 February 2020
New Zealand Herald
Gun owners decrying law reforms are selfish by putting personal inconveniences above public safety, a gun safety expert says.
And Philip Alpers, who used to host TV show Fair Go and is now a public health expert, supports a national gun register because he believes it would make the biggest improvement to community safety.
A bill that would set up a register, among other things, is currently passing through Parliament and its passage might depend on NZ First, which is... (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)
Police Secrecy and Tracking Illicit Firearms
14 June 2019
ABC News (Australia)
How did the accused Darwin gunman, parolee Ben Hoffmann, get his hands on a shotgun and allegedly kill four people?
Likely with relative ease — according to the public health professor behind the world's largest catalogue of evidence on gun violence, firearm law and gun control.
The 12-gauge pump action shotgun was seized at the time of Hoffman's arrest, and police later confirmed its serial number matched a weapon stolen in 1997.
That scenario — a long-armed... (GunPolicy.org)
Togo to Launch Weapons Marking Operation
9 July 2018
TogoWeb (Togo)
[Translated content]
The Togolese State through its Ministry of Security and Civil Protection wants to launch a national operation to mark the weapons of the security forces. This initiative, financially supported by Japan, is part of the fight against the trafficking of small arms and light weapons in order to guarantee the security of the population.
In case of theft or loss, these weapons will be more easily found, according to General Yark Damehane, Minister of... (GunPolicy.org)
Portuguese Registries 'Lose' 1 Million Weapons
10 December 2017
CM Jornal (Portugal)
Em Portugal, há livretes que atestam a legalidade de mais de 1,5 milhões de armas de fogo. Mas a PSP, que está a atualizar estes registos, estima que, na realidade, apenas 300 mil armas existam de facto nestas condições. Ou seja, mais de um milhão de pistolas, revólveres ou caçadeiras, entre outras, estão 'desaparecidas' ou têm documentos duplicados ou foram registadas sem que existissem na realidade.
De acordo com fontes policiais contactadas pelo CM, muitas... (GunPolicy.org)
US Agencies Help Stop Smuggling of 5000 Guns to Australia
16 March 2017
News Corp Australia Network
The largest ever shipment of guns organised by bikie gangs and bound for Australia has been stopped in the US and seized by police as the crackdown on outlaw motorcycle clubs intensifies.
The almost 5000-strong shipment of handguns and automatic rifles was nabbed late last year before reaching Australian shores as part of a joint investigation between federal, state and international policing agencies.
News Corp Australia can exclusively reveal the operations leading... (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)
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)
West Africa Terror Groups Get Guns from Syria and Iraq - Study
17 November 2016
PJ Media (US)
A report issued this month tracking the flow of weapons across Libya and the Sahel revealed that terror groups operating in West Africa are getting much more than just inspiration from terror hubs in Iraq and Syria.
The study by UK-based Conflict Armament Research, an independent organization that tracks the flow of conventional weapons and materiel, found that weapons stockpiles remaining from the nearly 42-year dictatorship of Moammar Gadhafi have migrated as far as... (GunPolicy.org)
US Justice Department Issues 'Smart Gun' Specifications
17 November 2016
FCW (US)
The Justice Department has issued a final set of baseline specifications for how "smart gun" technology could enhance firearm safety.
In a Nov. 16 blog post, Justice officials said the specifications contain "a detailed description of the minimum technical requirements that law enforcement agencies expect from smart gun technology" and mark a significant step forward in the Obama administration's efforts to combat gun violence.
During his State of the Union address in... (GunPolicy.org)
Syria,Iraq,Slovakia,European Union
Europe Split on Reforms and Regulations to Curb Gun Violence
14 November 2016
EUObserver (Belgium)
EU lawmakers are meeting on Tuesday (15 November) for another round of backroom talks to curb gun violence and prevent terrorists from acquiring weapons on the black market.
Debates around the European Commission's EU firearms directive reform, proposed in the aftermath the Paris November terrorist attacks, appears to be advancing as positions converge between the two co-legislatures at the European Parliament and the Council, representing member states.
"There is a... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Iraq,Afghanistan
US Lost Track of Millions of Guns Sold to Middle East After 9/11
30 October 2016
The Washington Diplomat (US)
The United States has flooded Iraq and Afghanistan with billions of dollars worth of small arms since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and has lost track of millions of them, according to a recently published report on 412 Department of Defense contracts by the London-based advocacy nonprofit Action on Armed Violence.
People often associate U.S. military assistance with heavy hardware such as armored fighting vehicles, anti-tank weapons and attack helicopters.... (GunPolicy.org)
Liberia 'Has Marked 90%' of Guns Located by Government
26 October 2016
Liberia News Agency
An official of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says Liberia is far ahead of some of the member states when it comes to the collection and marking of arms in the region.
According to her, about 90 percent of arms collected in Liberia have been marked, with just 10 percent remaining.
The ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Mrs. Halima Ahmed, made the disclosure recently when she paid a courtesy call on Liberia's Foreign... (GunPolicy.org)
Vital Details Missing from New York's Gun Trafficking Report
26 October 2016
The Trace (USA)
A new analysis of the provenance of 53,000 crime guns by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman's office is a stark reminder of the limitations of state firearm restrictions — and of the public's ability to obtain detailed information about the flow of guns within the United States.
The report, released Tuesday, reveals that three out of four firearms recovered by police in the Empire State were purchased somewhere else — most often, Virginia, the Carolinas,... (GunPolicy.org)
In New York, 74% of Crime Guns Come from Other States [ES]
25 October 2016
El Diario (US)
[Translated Summary: Although New York has strong gun control legislation, other states have less restrictive laws. As a result, 74% of the seized guns in New York come from the "Iron Pipeline" states. Authorities seized nearly 53,000 guns from crime between 2010 to 2015. The firearms most used by criminals are handguns, 83% of those seized.]
Pese a que el estado de Nueva York tiene leyes de control de armas muy fuertes, estas no frenan a los traficantes que facilitan... (GunPolicy.org)
New York Official Study: Weak-Law States Flood NY With Guns
24 October 2016
New York Times
The .40-caliber pistol used to kill a New York City police officer last year was bought in South Carolina on Feb. 28, 2008.
A 9-millimeter pistol used in a murder-suicide in a Buffalo neighborhood had been bought in Georgia on June, 12, 2010, just 102 days before the double shooting.
And a 9-milimeter pistol used to fatally shoot a couple on Long Island in 2010 was bought in South Carolina on April 10, 2009.
Those are among the 52,915 guns used in crimes that law... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Makers Ban New Handgun Sales in 'Too Strict' California
24 October 2016
LA Times, Editorial
When someone shoots up a neighborhood with a semiautomatic weapon, the shooter usually leaves evidence behind — not only the bullets fired, but also the spent casings ejected from the gun as a fresh round loads. Ballistics experts can match distinctive marks the firing process leaves on the bullets and the casings against fresh samples fired from a gun that investigators believe may have been used in the crime. But first, of course, they must have the gun.
But... (GunPolicy.org)
Europe's Pro-gun Lobbies Dilute Planned EU Gun Control Law
21 October 2016
Deutsche Welle
The European Commission's attempts to ban the most dangerous semi-automatic weapons, such as AK-47 assault rifles, are being watered down thanks to pressure from a pan-European alliance of gun associations, according to documents leaked to "Der Spiegel" magazine.
The Commission's proposal, drawn up in the wake of last year's terrorist attacks at the Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris, is due to be finalized over the coming weeks by the European Parliament, the Commission,... (GunPolicy.org)
Italy,Russia,Moldova,Libya,Ukraine
Jihadi Tomb Raiders, Italian Mafia Sell Antiquities for ISIS Guns
18 October 2016
Daily Beast (USA)
A fuzzy photo shows the decapitated marble head of an ancient Roman statue; the grainy image is standing in for the gilded sales bills usually displayed in the world's finest auction houses. There are no certificates of authenticity or patrimony for these artifacts either, just maps with red markings.
This is no ordinary art show.
The maps in question show ancient Roman and Greek tombs that have been pillaged in Libya. These artifacts have been put on the market by... (GunPolicy.org)
Assault Weapons Seized from Trafficking Group in Philippines
15 October 2016
The Standard (Philippines)
A shipment of about 6,700 rounds of ammunition for high-caliber arms and assault rifles from Metro Manila to Mindanao was intercepted by police and military agents at a port in Cagayan de Oro Thursday, law enforcement officials said Friday.
Two handlers of the cargo and a member of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front were arrested after the shipment—thousands of M60 caliber bullets and four rounds for the M203 grenade launchers—was seized.
This was the second... (GunPolicy.org)
UN Approved Arms Imports: Guns Resold in Somalia Markets
11 October 2016
New York Times, Reuters
Many guns imported by the Somali government with U.N. approval are being resold by arms dealers on the black market in the nation's capital Mogadishu, two Western diplomats said.
Such sales violate a three-year-old deal which exempted government weapons imports from a U.N. arms embargo. The U.N. Security Council partially lifted it in 2013 to equip government forces fighting al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab militants.
The United Nations imposed a blanket arms embargo on... (GunPolicy.org)
Tech to Fight US Gun Crime Hobbled by Skepticism, Disuse
6 October 2016
Washington Post
On a humid day in April 2009, the sound of gunfire drew police to a suburban home in Jefferson Parish, La. Officers found no shooters or victims — just an empty back yard littered with shell casings. In an area with the nation's highest gun-death rate, the incident seemed pretty minor. "Garden-variety case" is how one detective described it.
Still, the casings were taken to the crime lab and entered into a huge federal database run by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,... (GunPolicy.org)
As Part of Balkan Cleanup, Albania Destroys 2,199 More Guns
5 October 2016
SEESAC (Belgrade), Media release
The Albanian Ministry of Defence (MoD), with support of SEESAC, began the destruction of 2,199 weapons on 3 October 2016. On the first day, 100 pieces of small arms and light weapons (SALW) were destroyed. The weapons are being disposed of at the Uzina Mekanike Gramsh (UM Gramsh) facility during the month of October. The destruction of SALW is supported by the European Union, through the EU Council Decision 2013/730/CFSP, in Support of SEESAC Disarmament and Arms... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Gun Found Among Honduras Crime Gang Weapons [ES]
29 September 2016
El Heraldo (Honduras)
[Translated summary: Honduras police seized two AK rifles, one Beretta and one Taurus pistol left behind by criminals after an anti-drug raid. They also found grenades and bullets. One of the firearms had a National Police marking.]
La Fuerza de Seguridad Interinstitucional Nacional (FUSINA) decomisó este jueves armas y municiones que fueron abandonadas por varios sujetos.
El decomiso tuvo lugar la madrugada de este día en la comunidad de Raya, Puerto Lempira,... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 35 Gun Experts Meet in Moldova to Discuss Illicit Trafficking
27 September 2016
SEESAC (Belgrade)
Over 35 firearms experts from South East Europe are meeting in Chisinau, Moldova on 27 – 28 September for the 5th Regional Meeting of the South East Europe Fire Arms Experts Network (SEEFEN). Funded by the European Union (EU), the meeting is gathering prosecutors, police and customs officials from the region to discuss their experiences, good practices and most effective ways in combating illicit trafficking of firearms.
"The threats we face are greater than... (GunPolicy.org)
80% of Legal Guns in Africa End Up on the Black Market [FR]
27 September 2016
Le Soleil (Senegal)
[Translated summary: To ensure safety, African countries buy their guns through legal channels. However, 80% of these arms are diverted, stolen or transferred by corrupt intermediaries, according to Marc Finand, member of the Geneva Centre for Security Policy. He estimates that 150 million firearms circulate in the continent.]
Pour assurer leur sécurité, les Etats achètent des armes via des canaux légaux. Cependant, en Afrique, 80% de ses armes se retrouvent, par... (GunPolicy.org)
China,Eastern Europe,Saudi Arabia,Turkey,Syria,Iraq
'Almost Direct' Supply Chain Sells Guns from Europe to ISIS
11 September 2016
Huffington Post (UK)
Islamic State fighters are illegally using guns and other weapons made in Eastern European factories, in a newly-discovered supply chain that is "almost direct", a weapons expert has claimed.
James Bevan, the director of Conflict Armament Research (CAR), told The Huffington Post UK that investigations this summer have seen a rapid, frightening change in the source of weapons used by the so-called Islamic State to fight other groups and carry out massacres.
These... (GunPolicy.org)
Central America,Mexico,South America,United States
USA, Stop Enabling Latin America's Gun Addiction - Letter
11 September 2016
Americas Quarterly, Letter
Dear Mister / Madam President,
As the world's largest arms exporter, the U.S. plays an outsize role in fueling Latin America's insatiable addiction to firearms. To take one example, during most of the 1980s, El Salvador was the largest consumer of U.S. military hardware in the Americas, feeding one of the most vicious civil wars in Latin American history. And while the conflict ended in 1992, the legacy of its arms transfers remains: U.S. officials estimate that almost... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Company Tracks Illegal Guns, Ammunition to Hot Spots
11 September 2016
Huffington Post (UK)
"If you pick up a Kalashnikov and you've been doing this for a while, 99% of the time you can tell where it was manufactured, what the model was, and which country it originated in. On the left hand side, you have a factory code and a serial number, and then you have associated marks where the safety catch is."
James Bevan, 38, spends his life counting the world's illegal weapons. The former UN weapons inspector runs the world's most comprehensive map tracking the flow... (GunPolicy.org)
NRA-Backed Taboo on Tracing US Gun Sales Must Change
8 September 2016
Los Angeles Times, Editorial
When police recover a gun from a crime scene, they usually check with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to determine the weapon's history — who made it, who bought it from whom and when. But because of ludicrous restrictions that Congress has placed on the agency, a gun trace that should take minutes instead takes days, wasting precious time and millions of taxpayer dollars.
The problem is rooted in the gun lobby's fear that the federal... (GunPolicy.org)
Why US Gun Tracing Center Is Not Allowed Computers [ES]
7 September 2016
Actualidad RT
[Translated summary: A US law makes sure that the government can't create a searchable database of all firearm owners. According to the NRA, registering all the firearms in a single place will allow the government to easily confiscate them. Thus, the National Tracing Center has to look for records manually, and a search that could take seconds, takes more than a week.]
A diferencia de lo que muestran las películas, en EE.UU. no existe ningún sistema íntegro de... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Seizure in US Prevented Illegal Trafficking to #Australia
2 September 2016
Age (Melbourne)
A cache of illegal guns has been seized by state, federal and US authorities as part of an investigation to tackle an international weapons operation.
Investigations began after an armed robbery at a western suburbs McDonald's 15 months ago, where a Thureon AR-15 assault rifle was used.
That weapon was then "backtracked" by police, which helped prevent a large consignment of weapons being imported to Australia.
In June, US officials seized six fully automatic assault... (GunPolicy.org)
Main US Gun Tracing Centre Deliberately Buried in Bureaucracy
1 September 2016
Mother Jones (USA)
Two agents with suits and trim haircuts lean against a cubicle wall in the cavernous red-brick building that houses the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' National Tracing Center in Martinsburg, West Virginia. They're laughing about one of the gun lobby's favorite myths: the notion that the government has a database with the names of every gun owner in America, and that one day, maybe very soon, it will sweep across the country to confiscate... (GunPolicy.org)
Admirable People at US Federal Bureau of Way Too Many Guns
30 August 2016
GQ (USA)
Say there's a murder. Blood everywhere, a dead guy on the floor. The cops come in with their yellow tape, chalk line, the little booties, cameras, swabs, the fingerprint dust. One of them finds a gun on the floor. The gun! He lifts it with his pinkie, examines it, takes note of the serial number. Back at the station, they run a trace on the gun. A name pops up. It's the wife! Or: It's the business partner! It's somebody's gun, and this is so exciting because now they... (GunPolicy.org)
Lax US Gun Laws Fuel Violence in Mexico - Foreign Minister
29 August 2016
Mexidata, InSight Crime (Bogotá)
Mexico's foreign minister has blamed lax US gun control laws for the flood of illegal weapons into the country, in an unusually frank assessment of the impact of US domestic policy on violence and organized crime in Mexico.
Speaking at the Second Conference of States Parties to the Arms Trade Treaty, Foreign Minister Claudia Ruiz Massieu said loose gun control laws in the United States have undermined Mexico's own restrictions on gun sales and ownership.
"[Mexico's]... (GunPolicy.org)
America's Nonsensical, Non-Searchable Gun Tracing System
24 August 2016
The Trace (USA)
The trace starts with a call or fax to the National Trace Center in Martinsburg, West Virginia. A police department has recovered a gun at a crime scene that was bought at a dealer that has since gone out of business. The inquiring officer turns to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to find out who purchased it, and when.
Federally licensed gun dealers are required to submit sales records to the ATF when they close up shop. The ATF has acquired a... (GunPolicy.org)
At Mexico's Lone Gun Store, Even the Boss Discourages Sales
17 August 2016
Times-Union (Florida), Associated Press
MEXICO CITY — There's just one place in all of Mexico where you can legally buy a gun. It's tucked away in an anonymous building on an army base in the capital, staffed by soldiers.
Those who enter must surrender any cellphones, tablets or cameras, remove caps and pass through a metal detector. Weapons are kept in locked glass cases, unlike many of the 50,000-plus U.S. gun shops where used-gun racks on showroom floors allow easy access and clerks are happy to let you... (GunPolicy.org)
New Hampshire Woman Supplied Guns to Boston Gangs
12 August 2016
Union Leader (New Hampshire)
WARNER – A gun used to shoot a Boston police officer in January was bought by a New Hampshire woman whom police believe was supplying them to gang members in Boston, according to an affidavit unsealed Friday.
The Glock 27 that wound up in the hands of Grant Headley is one of an estimated 30 to 63 firearms purchased by Sara Johnson of Manchester, according to authorities.
"At least four of the firearms purchased by Johnson were subsequently recovered on the streets... (GunPolicy.org)
Eastern Europe,Syria,Jordan,Saudi Arabia,Turkey,Germany,United Arab Emirates
Eastern Europe and the Lucrative Middle East Arms Trade
9 August 2016
Deutsche Welle
War-torn Syria is full of arms: thousands of AK47 assault rifles, machine guns, mortar shells, rocket launchers and anti-tank weapons, aging T-55 and T-72 tanks. Most are believed to come from the following countries: Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Montenegro, Serbia and Romania. They reach Syria via a circuitous route. First, they are sent by air or sea to Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates or Turkey – then on from there to the... (GunPolicy.org)
US Fiream Tracing System Crippled by Gun Lobby Opposition
4 August 2016
Officer (USA)
WASHINGTON — When Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife shot 14 people to death in San Bernardino, Calif., in December, law enforcement agents raced to track down one of their best leads: the guns used in the attack.
Within hours, they had identified Enrique Marquez Jr., Farook's neighbor, who provided background on the couple and was later indicted on terrorism and firearms charges.
Yet despite the urgency of the gun trace — and hundreds of similar searches conducted... (GunPolicy.org)
Virgin Islands Law Now Requires All Guns to Be Registered
1 August 2016
The Virgin Islands Consortium
Governor Kenneth Mapp has signed into law a measure requiring all guns coming into the territory be registered at ports of entry — including sea and land.
The bill's sponsor, Senator Tregenza A. Roach, says it was forged based on complaints by Virgin Islands Police Department officials, who argued that weapons that are not registered eventually fall into the wrong hands and cannot be tracked.
Mr. Roach, who said he has a "growing concern" for the escalation of gun... (GunPolicy.org)
Rwanda,Kenya,Tanzania,Burundi,Uganda
Armed Violence and Illegal Guns in East Africa - Recent Study
26 July 2016
New Times (Rwanda)
East African Community (EAC) member countries are meeting in Kigali for a validation workshop on the study by the Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA) on the status of armed crimes in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.
The report dubbed 'Analysis of Armed Crime Rates' released yesterday, in Kigali was conducted between 2010 and March 2016 with the support of African Development Bank (AfDB).
According to the report, Rwanda registered 421 cases related to... (GunPolicy.org)
Dominican Senate Passes New, Tougher Gun Law [ES]
19 July 2016
Al Momento (Dominican Republic)
[Translated summary: The Dominican Senate passed a new Firearm Law that imposes tough sanctions on citizens who own illegal guns, and punishes authorities who comply with this practice. The law bans the carry and use of weapons of war and commands police to resolve cases in which civilians don't surrender illegal guns voluntarily. Licensing will be more rigorous; it will request consent of partners and thorough medical evaluations, among other things.]
Santo Domingo... (GunPolicy.org)
South America,United States,Central America,Mexico
USA Floods Mexico with 200,000 Illegal Guns Every Year [ES]
17 July 2016
RT (Moscow)
[Translated Summary: According to a Peruvian journalist, the abundance of firearms in any Latin American country is almost always directly proportional to its proximity to the local superpower. In 2014, over 28,000 American firearms valued at US$21.6 million entered legally to Mexico, but every year an average of 212,000 firearms enter illegally.]
En América Latina se registran 76.000 muertes por año vinculadas al uso de armas de fuego. Sobre este total la mayoría... (GunPolicy.org)
Blank-Firing Guns to Be Covered by EU Gun Control Rules
13 July 2016
New Europe (Belgium)
EU countries will have to introduce stronger controls on "blank-firing" guns, to prevent them being converted to fire live ammunition, under Internal Market Committee amendments, voted on Wednesday, to a draft update of the EU firearms directive. The changes approved by MEPs ensure that any firearm which has been converted to firing blanks continues to be covered by EU gun control rules. This closes a legal loophole which became evident in the aftermath of last year's... (GunPolicy.org)
1,300 Guns Destroyed in Ghana, 1.1 Million Still in Wrong Hands
11 July 2016
Graphic Online (Ghana)
The National Small Arms Commission (NSAC) last Saturday destroyed 1,300 illegal guns in the country but warned that there were still more than 1.1 million of such firearms and light weapons that might be in wrong hands.
The guns, which were marked and broken before being set on fire, included locally made single- and double-barrelled shotguns, locally made and imported pistols, pump action guns and local mortars.
The number of illegal firearms in wrong hands means that... (GunPolicy.org)
Montenegro Destroys 1,140 Confiscated Guns
9 July 2016
SEESAC (Belgrade)
Montenegro destroyed 1140 pieces of small arms and light weapons (SALW) at a smelter in Niksic to mark the International Gun Destruction Day on 9 July, 2016, including 752 guns and one revolver, 7 automatic weapons, 381 rifles and 214 different part of weapons.
Minister of Internal Affairs Goran Danilovic, Head of European Union (EU) Delegation to Montenegro Mitja Drobnic, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative Fiona McCluney and... (GunPolicy.org)
Bosnia & Herzegovina Destroy 1,008 Confiscated Guns
9 July 2016
SEESAC (Belgrade)
Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) destroyed 1,008 pieces of small arms and light weapons (SALW) at the Jelsingrad Smelter in Banja Luka to mark 9 July, International Gun Destruction Day. The destroyed SALW included 234 long barrels, 337 short barrels and 437 other weapons and belonging equipment. Weapons destroyed have been confiscated by five police agencies of BiH over the course of the last several months as part of their law enforcement activities. Their destruction was... (GunPolicy.org)
Kosovo Destroys 2,382 Seized Guns
7 July 2016
SEESAC (Belgrade)
Kosovo* joined the annual International Gun Destruction Day on 7 July 2016 by destroying over 2382 pieces of small arms and light weapons (SALW), including 888 short firearms and 1494 long firearms. The weapons marked for destruction have been confiscated by the Kosovo Police during their crime investigation work. The destruction is conducted with support from the German Foreign Office and United Nations Development Programme.
The event was also used to launch social... (GunPolicy.org)
Dominican Republic to Renew 125,000 Expired Gun Licences
30 June 2016
Listin Diario (Dominican Republic)
[Translated Summary: The Dominican Ministry of Interior and Police (MIP) granted 232,142 firearm licences since October 1965. Now, 125,036 of those licences must be renewed because they are expired. Licences to possess a firearm are different than licences to carry, and one owner can have more than one firearm registered. Every owner must register their fingerprints and their firearms' ballistic fingerprints in order to receive the licence.]
Desde el 26 de octubre de... (GunPolicy.org)
Saudi Arabia,United States,Jordan
CIA Guns for Syrian Rebels Stolen for Jordanian Black Market
26 June 2016
New York Times
Weapons shipped into Jordan by the Central Intelligence Agency and Saudi Arabia intended for Syrian rebels have been systematically stolen by Jordanian intelligence operatives and sold to arms merchants on the black market, according to American and Jordanian officials.
Some of the stolen weapons were used in a shooting in November that killed two Americans and three others at a police training facility in Amman, F.B.I. officials believe after months of investigating... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany Wants to Strengthen Gun Registry to Fight Terror
21 June 2016
Local (Germany)
State interior ministers have submitted a proposal to federal Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière regarding the trade and background of weapons, according to publishing group Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND).
"Terrorism and criminality are not stopped by national borders," said Mecklenburg-Vorpommern interior minister, Lorenz Caffier.
"Considering the attacks on Paris and Brussels, this data exchange is overdue and important for saving lives."
In Germany there... (GunPolicy.org)
Côte d'Ivoire Has Added Markings to 99% of Police Guns [FR]
15 June 2016
Amnesty International (France), Media release
[Translated summary: Under the Arms Trade Treaty, the states of West Africa have improved their firearm stock management. Now every gun is marked with a code that shows where it comes from. Also, every time a gun enters or leaves an armoury, the code allows officials to know who gave the order and why. Now, the National Police of Côte d'Ivoire has marked 99% of its guns.]
Après deux décennies de crises, la Côte d'Ivoire est aux avant-postes de la lutte contre la... (GunPolicy.org)
North Korea,Iran,United Kingdom,Switzerland,Germany,Saudi Arabia,United Arab Emirates,United States,Italy
Switzerland Loses Top Slot in Gun Trade Transparency Ranking
7 June 2016
SwissInfo
For the first time since 2007, Switzerland gave up the top spot in the Small Arms Survey's latest evaluation of the most transparent small arms exporters.
"Its lower score in comparison with previous years reflects less complete reporting to United Nations Comtrade [UN Commodity Trade Statistics Database] and a lack of information on licence denials," the authors said in the 2016 bulletin published on Monday.
Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab... (GunPolicy.org)
West Asia,United States,South Asia
Gun Imports to Middle Eastern Countries Doubled - Study
6 June 2016
New York Times, Associated Press
Annual sales of small arms and light weapons to Middle Eastern countries nearly doubled in dollar terms in 2013 over the year before, as conflicts heated up across the region, according to a study released Monday.
Meanwhile, the U.S. was both the biggest exporter and importer of weapons ranging from pistols and military firearms to hunting rifles, ammunition and anti-tank guns, according to the report.
"Trade Update 2016: Transfers and Transparency," a study by the... (GunPolicy.org)
Global Gun Control at the UN: Africa Needs New Goals
6 June 2016
Institute for Security Studies (Pretoria)
This week, from 6-10 June, United Nations (UN) member states are convening in New York for the Sixth Biennial Meeting on the UN Programme of Action on small arms and light weapons (UNPoA). The meeting will review the progress made in implementing the UNPoA, and will also focus on the International Tracing Instrument (ITI), which was adopted in 2005.
The UNPoA, adopted in 2001, outlines steps governments must take to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit trade in... (GunPolicy.org)
Tracking Flow of US Guns Used in Crime Is Inexact Science
28 April 2016
New York Times, Associated Press
SMYRNA — Adventure Outdoors is an 80,000-square-foot store with walls lined with long guns, cases packed with handguns and aisles jammed with all the accessories an avid outdoorsman would need: coolers, clothing, ammo. At the customer service counter is a government-issued poster that warns: "Don't lie for the other guy."
Store founder Jay Wallace said his staff is diligent about making sure buyers are legitimate and not fronting for someone who is legally prohibited... (GunPolicy.org)
Tanzania to Re-Mark All Imported and Registered Guns
23 April 2016
Tanzania Daily News
ARUSHA — Tanzania may soon start marking all sorts of firearms with special engraving to distinguish weapons registered in the country, against those owned in other states, it was revealed in Arusha.
Vice President, Ms Samia Suluhu Hassan, said that with nearly 900,000 light weapons and small arms circulating around the globe, it is vital for Tanzania, as well as other African countries to start engraving special national labels to indicate where each firearm was... (GunPolicy.org)
137 Guns Handed Over to Police in Lancashire, UK
22 April 2016
Lancashire Evening Post
Thousands of rounds of ammunition have been taken off the streets as part of a county-wide firearms surrender.
A total of 3,737 pieces of ammo were handed over to police in Lancashire Police's Western Division which includes Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre.
Officers in the division also received three live rifles, six live handguns, six shotguns and a total of 15 air powered weapons.
The ammunition handed over in the west of the county made up almost 90 per cent of the... (GunPolicy.org)
West Africa, Cote d'Ivoire Debate Proliferation of Guns [FR]
20 April 2016
China Radio International, Xinhua
[Translated summary: A regional conference that gathers the National Commissions to Combat the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons of countries of West Africa is being held in Abidjan. Its mission is to reinforce control over arms and management of weapon stocks. In Côte d'Ivoire, since 2011, 9,661 were voluntary surrendered and more than 8,000 firearms destroyed.]
Une conférence régionale réunissant les commissions nationales de lutte contre la... (GunPolicy.org)
European Union Mulls Changes to Gun Control Laws [FR]
20 April 2016
Europarl
[Translated summary: European Union MEPs debated amendments to a proposal to the European Commission regarding the EU Directive on Firearms. During the debate, they discussed arms classification, marking and tracing of firearms, licensing, storage, as well as online sales.]
Les amendements déposés par la députée en charge du dossier à la proposition de la Commission européenne sur la révision de la directive de l'UE concernant les armes à feu ont été... (GunPolicy.org)
Uganda Govt Swoop: Gun Owners Must Register All Firearms
15 April 2016
Observer (Kampala)
By April 30, all firearms in civilians possession must have been registered, the ministry of Internal Affairs said in its latest attempt to crack down on illegal small arms.
Unregistered firearms will be declared illegal, the minister of state for Internal Affairs James Baba said on Monday.
Firearm registration, the minister said, is meant to control small arms and light weapons owned by civilians and maintain proper national control over government stockpiles of all... (GunPolicy.org)
Clinton Carefully Slants Vermont Gun Stats to Hit Sanders
13 April 2016
New York Times, Associated Press
WASHINGTON -- With New York's crucial presidential nominating contest looming, Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton is framing gun laws in Bernie Sanders' home state of Vermont as a primary culprit of violent crime in the Empire State.
Her latest offensive, however, depends on a narrow and arguably irrelevant use of federal gun data.
Speaking on Long Island, New York, this week, Clinton said that when Sanders is "challenged on his gun stances, he frequently says:... (GunPolicy.org)
Ceremony to Destroy 8,000 Guns in Côte D'Ivoire [FR]
9 April 2016
L'Infodrome (Côte d'Ivoire)
[Translated summary: The National Police School of Abidjan has organised a ceremony where they marked and destroyed small arms and light weapons. 26,324 guns have been marked; among these, 8,000 have been destroyed along with 6,336 rounds of ammunition.]
Une importante cérémonie de marquage et de destruction d'armes légères de petit calibre a eu lieu, jeudi 7 avril, à l'Ecole nationale de police d'Abidjan.
Organisée par le Comité de lutte contre la... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Lobby Groups Rally Against EU Firearm Restrictions
5 April 2016
Politico (EU)
European pro-gun groups are mobilizing against a new EU push to restrict the sale of firearms, claiming the proposal won't work as an anti-terrorism tool.
The groups, which are using an online petition as well as bulk emails targeted at EU policymakers, say measures proposed by the European Commission would punish hunters and sports enthusiasts but do little to restrict the ability of terrorists and criminals to obtain weapons.
The campaigns represent a new... (GunPolicy.org)
Tanzania: Politicians Involved in Illegal Small Arms Trade
3 April 2016
Guardian (Dar Es Salaam)
Politicians are said to be contributing to illegal arms trade by supporting and deliberately arming rebel groups to accomplish their narrow interests.
A senior government official made this observation in Dar es Salaam yesterday at an Africa parliamentary workshop on addressing illicit trade of small arms and light weapons organized by the Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA).
The two day workshop was attended by members of Parliaments from 13... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns in New Zealand '95% Untraceable' by Police, Says Expert
29 March 2016
New Zealand Herald
Parliament woke with a start when a police bust in Takanini recently netted a handgun and 14 high-powered military style rifles. This firepower is about double what terrorists used in the attack in Paris at the end of 2015 in which 130 people were killed.
The Takanini bust followed police reports that pistols and military-style semi-automatics now make up 14 per cent of the illegal firearms they retrieve. Parliament is also nervous about the recent spate of gun-related... (GunPolicy.org)
Lax Gun Tracing and Registration in Belgium - Experts [FR]
20 March 2016
Le Soir (Belgique)
[Translated summary: According to a retired Commissioner, Belgium lacks transparency in terms of gun numbers; Police reports are outdated; the Firearms Act is unreadable; Police and Customs are under-funded and under-equipped to fight arms trafficking.]
1. La Belgique n'a pas de vision, pas de chiffres
Personne n'est capable d'estimer aujourd'hui combien d'armes illégales circulent en Belgique. « On a bien une vue sur la détention légale, on n'a absolument aucune... (GunPolicy.org)
Study Claims 3 US Gun Laws Could Cut Gun Deaths by 90%
19 March 2016
New Scientist
Most of the laws aimed at gun control in the US don't work. But three do. Implement them at a national level, and we could cut firearm deaths by 90 per cent.
That's the conclusion of a recent study, and it sounds like great news. But the findings have come under heavy fire from other researchers.
There are more than 33,000 firearm deaths each year in the US. Yet no one knows which, if any, laws are effective in reducing this number. This is partly due to lack of... (GunPolicy.org)
Quebec: Firearms Registration to Prevent Suicides [FR]
18 March 2016
Le Devoir (Quebec)
[Translated summary: Three suicides are committed every day in Québec (Canada). The mere presence of a firearm in a house multiplies by five the risk of suicide risks and nearly a third of persons using a firearm to commit suicide are not firearm owners, according to the president of the Quebec Suicide Prevention Association.]
Trois suicides sont commis chaque jour au Québec, alors qu'il s'agit d'une cause de décès évitable. L'une des mesures les plus efficaces... (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)
Background Checks, Bullet Tracing to Curb US Gun Deaths
17 March 2016
Reuters
If every state in the U.S. had mandatory background checks for gun and ammunition purchases and required traceable bullets, firearms-related deaths might plunge by more than 80 percent, a new study projects.
More than 31,600 people died by guns in the U.S. in 2010, a rate of 10.1 deaths for each 100,000 residents. Hawaii had the lowest death rate – 3.21 for each 100,000 people – while Alaska had the highest – 20.3 for every 100,000 residents.
Laws that require... (GunPolicy.org)
New Zealand: Police Have No System to Track Stolen Guns
11 March 2016
Stuff (New Zealand)
Thousands of guns stolen each year in New Zealand are ending up in the arms of gang members but police have no systems in place to track guns or what has been stolen.
Owner of Timaru's Gun City Wayne Golightly said police have told him that more than 100 firearms have been stolen in South Canterbury in the past year and about 2000 across New Zealand.
But police were unable to supply information under the Official Information Act about the number of burglaries... (GunPolicy.org)
New US Gun Control Study Unbelievable, Too Good to Be True
10 March 2016
Washington Post
A prestigious medical journal just published a new study of gun deaths with shocking results: if just three gun control laws were adopted nationwide, the researchers found, deaths from firearms could be cut by more than 90 percent.
It's a reduction so staggering that it sounds hard to believe. And according to two outside scientists, we shouldn't.
"That's too big -- I don't believe that," said David Hemenway, a professor of health policy at the Harvard T.H. Chan... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico's Gun Dealers Are Unfazed by Obama
26 February 2016
Global Post (Boston)
MEXICO CITY — Javier scoots onto a plastic stool in a courtyard. He reaches beneath his shirt and pulls out a shiny Smith & Wesson semi-automatic pistol. He deftly spins it through his hands, ejects the magazine, and holds it out for inspection.
"This one's new, straight from its packaging," he says.
It will cost 15,000 pesos with a box of ammo, around $810.
Javier, who only gave his first name, operates this illicit little gun mart in Tepito market, a famed... (GunPolicy.org)
A Look at Thailand's Fervent Gun Culture
19 February 2016
Deutsche Welle
Widely known as a welcoming tourist destination, Thailand is also a country awash with easily obtainable firearms, featuring one of the highest gun homicide rates in Asia. DW examines why gun ownership remains so high.
Thailand has the highest reported rate of gun-related deaths in Southeast Asia - almost 50 percent more gun homicides than the Philippines. And with 7.48 registered violent gun deaths per 100,000 people, the figure is also twice as high as that of the... (GunPolicy.org)
El Salvador Govt Turned Blind Eye to Official's Arms Trafficking
16 February 2016
InSight Crime (Bogota)
A recent report points once again to the role high-ranking El Salvador military officials play in driving that nation's illicit arms trade, helping fuel rampant gang violence and bloodshed.
Since 2010 El Salvador's National Civil Police (Policía Nacional Civil - PNC) and several other state institutions bought over $500,000 worth of guns, munitions, and bulletproof vests from the arms businesses of retired army major Miguel Ángel Pocasangre Escobar, reported La... (GunPolicy.org)
New Report on Firearms Trafficking from US to Mexico
11 January 2016
US House of Representatives, Committee on Foreign Affairs - Democrats, Media release
WASHINGTON -- Representative Eliot L. Engel, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today welcomed the release of a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report he commissioned on U.S. efforts to halt illegal firearms trafficking to Mexico. Representative Engel requested the report in May 2014.
"With at least 70 percent of firearms recovered at Mexican crime scenes coming from the United States, our Congress has a responsibility to do much more to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: US House of Representatives, Committee on Foreign Affairs - Democrats
German Shooting Clubs Lobby Against EU Gun Control
21 December 2015
Deutsche Welle
German gun club lobbyists were invited to the German Interior Ministry (BMI) last week to discuss something that has been bothering them for a while - the European Commission's proposed plans to tighten Europe's gun laws, which were suddenly revived from legislative stagnation in the wake of the "Islamic State" attacks in Paris in November.
By all accounts, the visit was a success. "The proposal contains things that the BMI said would be difficult for them, and where... (GunPolicy.org)
European Union,Albania,Bosnia & Herzegovina,Bulgaria,Croatia,Greece,Kosovo,Macedonia,Montenegro,Serbia,Turkey
European Commission Tightens Gun Control Across the EU
18 November 2015
European Commission - Press release
The European Commission today adopted a package of measures to make it more difficult to acquire firearms in the European Union, better track legally held firearms, strengthen cooperation between Member States, and ensure that deactivated firearms are rendered inoperable. The proposals presented today were foreseen in the European Security Agenda adopted in April 2015, but have been significantly accelerated in light of recent events. The Commission is hereby supporting... (GunPolicy.org)
Maryland (US) Handgun Ballistic Records Scrapped
10 November 2015
Hot Air (USA)
For gun control advocates, it sure sounded like a great idea. Why not force gun purchasers to fire a round at the police station so that the ballistic "fingerprint" of the firearm could be catalogued? That way, police could find the perpetrator every time a gun was used in a crime. What could go wrong?
Plenty, according to the Baltimore Sun's Erin Cox. Fifteen years, millions of dollars, and 340,000 shell casings later, Maryland decided last week to scrap the system... (GunPolicy.org)
America Has More Guns in Fewer Hands Than Ever Before
5 October 2015
Washington Post
You've probably heard by now that the Obama administration has been a boon to the U.S. firearm industry. Gun manufacturers boosted production by 31 percent between 2011 and 2012. National tragedies from Newtown to Ferguson are accompanied by stories of surging gun sales.
But data released this week from the General Social Survey, widely regarded as the gold standard for social science survey research, shows that in 2014, the number of American households owning guns... (GunPolicy.org)
Disagreement About Origins of Illegal Firearms in Australia
26 May 2015
ABC News (Australia)
Tracing the source of guns used in crime across Australia is difficult, and the origins of illegal firearms is the subject of significant disagreement among federal lawmakers.
A recent Australian Crime Commission report on organised crime said a new database being developed will track the full life of a gun, something law enforcement agencies have never been able to do. But for now, where illegal guns come from remains a hotly debated topic.
A Senate inquiry into... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia New National Firearms Database by 2015
21 May 2015
Age (Melbourne)
A national firearms database has been fast-tracked in the wake of concerns about how Martin Place shooter Man Haron Monis had access to guns.
The tracking system will aim to stop the trafficking of firearms across Australia, with authorities convinced that the vast majority of weapons used in organised crime are circulated across the country, rather than imported from overseas.
A meeting of the Law, Crime and Community Safety Council on Friday will be told that the... (GunPolicy.org)
France,Slovakia,Denmark,Belgium,Spain,Czech Republic
Charlie Hebdo Killers Bought Their Guns Legally in Europe
18 February 2015
Euronews (France)
The automatic rifles used in the terrorist attacks in Paris last month may have been decommissioned weapons legally bought in Slovakia and reconverted to fire live ammunition, Euronews can reveal.
French police are exploring whether weapons used in the deadly assaults on the Charlie Hebdo offices and at a Kosher supermarket were purchased in a shop inside the European Union, according to a joint investigation with the Slovakian Nový čas newspaper.
The weapons are... (GunPolicy.org)
Nicaragua,Peru,Haiti,Dominican Republic,Cuba,Mexico,Honduras,Guatemala,Turkey,El Salvador,United States,Russia,Austria,Belgium,Colombia,Brazil,Czech Republic,Germany,Israel,Venezuela,Italy,Spain
16 January 2015
Los Angeles Times, Opinion
During the 1980s, El Salvador was the single largest recipient of U.S. military hardware and weaponry in the Western Hemisphere. Although the Central American country's civil war ended in 1992, the guns, grenades and bullets linger, as do their murderous effects. In September, a U.S. official from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives estimated that half the weapons available on El Salvador's vibrant black market were made in the United... (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)
Unsuspecting Canadian Drivers Drawn into World of Weapons Smuggling
20 June 2014
Windsor Star (Ontario), Blog
The gun smugglers called him "fool" – one of many Windsorites they used to unwittingly mule firearms over the border.
Buried in volumes of recently released Toronto police documents is the frightening revelation that Windsor gun runners hide firearms and GPS devices in the cars of unsuspecting Canadians to sneak them through customs.
For Windsor's Lamar Porter, who police say was the main source of guns for Toronto's murderous Dixon City Bloods, it appeared to be... (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)
Malawi Police Destroy Illegal Firearms
13 June 2014
Star Africa
Malawi Police has destroyed over 3,000 illegal firearms confiscated from people across the country.Inspector General Lot Dzonzi said in Lilongwe during the destruction exercise that Malawi is vulnerable to firearms smuggling because of a number of reasons including its geographical position, lack of scanning machines at its border posts and use of unchartered routes by foreigners.
"This has led to the smugglers bringing in firearms into the country which can lead to... (GunPolicy.org)
Homicide Spree Highlights Illicit Firearm Proliferation in Pakistan
8 June 2014
Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)
A hike in gun crimes including homicides, attempted murders and robberies using weapons ranging from 9 mm pistols to T-56 assault rifles, has highlighted the threat posed by firearms getting into the hands of criminals; but the Government's response to the problem has been slow, with little follow-up action on pledges made to various UN bodies to deal with the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, particularly in a postwar scenario.
May and June alone, there... (GunPolicy.org)
Rebel Dealer Jailed, Lost Licence, Guns: Agrees Fight Was 'Foolhardy'
3 June 2014
Toronto Sun (Ontario)
Bruce Montague was a northern Ontario firearms dealer so opposed to Canada's licensing laws that he stopped registering his guns in protest and dared the government to come after him.
Be careful what you wish for. Ten years later, the 54-year-old's act of what he saw as "civil disobedience" has resulted in an 18-month jail sentence, a lifetime ban from operating his trade and now he's just been ordered to hand over his $100,000 gun collection — his life savings —... (GunPolicy.org)
The Best Reporting on Guns in America – A Collection from ProPublica
28 May 2014
ProPublica
Are Mass Shootings Increasing? Depends on How You Count Them
Criminologists have made the same point again and again: the number of mass shootings in America is not increasing. Experts told the Los Angeles Times that mass shootings represent only a small fraction of the annual deaths due to gun violence, and that police data indicate that the overall count of mass shootings per year has not shown any significant increase over time. This conclusion is based on the FBI's... (GunPolicy.org)
China Claims Most Smuggled Guns Arrive in Courier Packs from US
27 May 2014
China Daily
Cooperation with other countries is being intensified to combat arms smuggling, according to an official at the General Administration of Customs.
Last year, Chinese customs officials investigated 50 cases of smuggling involving firearms and ammunition, an increase of 16.3 percent from the previous year.
Authorities confiscated 5,916 guns, 882 gun parts and 13,000 rounds of ammunition in these cases.
"The smuggling of drugs or firearms poses serious threats to... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia Launches National 'Fingerprint for Guns' Tracing Network
21 May 2014
Daily Mail (UK) / Australian Associated Press
Gunmen who thought they'd gotten away with shooting crimes all those years ago will be on the police radar with a new ballistics system tipped to help authorities solve historical crimes.
The national system comes amid heightening concerns around trans-national criminals, who NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione has compared with terrorists.
The $9.6 million Australian Ballistics Information Network (ABIN) will allow all states and territories to enter the details... (GunPolicy.org)
Luxembourg,United States,Germany
Ten Things the Gun Industry Won't Tell You – Wall St Journal
20 May 2014
Wall Street Journal
1. "Owning our product may be hazardous to your health."
In the U.S., there are now somewhere between 270 million and 310 million guns, according to the Pew Research Center — that's almost one gun for every person in the nation. Judges and legislators across the political spectrum recognize the constitutional right to bear arms. And gun and ammunition sales to private citizens are a significant part of a nearly $15 billion industry that's seeing plenty of growth: On... (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)
Congo (DRC),Africa,Sudan,South Sudan,Bulgaria,Iran
Chasing Bullets, Firearms in the Democratic Republic of Congo
13 May 2014
IRIN (UN News)
Virunga National Park — Her job is to track and trace small arms and ammunition in Africa's conflict zones.
Each bullet, assault rifle, mortar, rocket or other item of military hardware she documents forms a piece of a huge jigsaw being created by the UK-based NGO Conflict Armaments Research (CAR) to map the precise flows of conflict weaponry in Africa.
Moving within the ebb and flow of the Democratic Republic of Congo's (DRC) conflict, the investigator, who asked... (GunPolicy.org)
Maine Drug Gang 'Straw Purchased' Pistol to Boston Marathon Killer
12 May 2014
Los Angeles Times
When police confronted Tamerlan Tsarnaev four nights after the Boston Marathon bombing last year, he leaped from his car with a 9-millimeter semiautomatic pistol and opened fire.
He critically wounded one officer and, despite being shot himself, kept firing until the gun emptied or jammed. In a final act of defiance, he threw the pistol at police before he was killed.
The tale of that handgun, a black Ruger P95, Serial Number 317-87693, offers new insights into the... (GunPolicy.org)
Handguns Easily Resold to Potential Criminals in Canada
7 May 2014
Toronto Star (Ontario)
There are no safeguards in Canadian firearms legislation to prevent people from purchasing a large number of handguns and then illegally transferring them to potential criminals.
It's an area of the law that gun control advocates say needs to be strengthened, and was recently highlighted after a Toronto man was sent to prison for legally purchasing 47 handguns from two stores over five months and then illegally transferring 43 of them to an acquaintance, who acted as a... (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)
70 Percent of Kenya Govt Firearms Marked
29 April 2014
Capital FM (Nairobi)
NAIROBI — Interior Principal Secretary Mutea Iringo says 70 percent of all firearms owned by the State have been marked as the government takes an inventory of all issued weapons.
The process was done after acquisition of eight firearm marking machines from the National Focal Point on Small Arms and Light Weapons.
Iringo says the exercise is meant to enhance accountability in the management of the national firearms stock pile for easy identification of the origin of... (GunPolicy.org)
Australian Man Arrested After Stealing Guns From School Club
29 April 2014
Daily Telegraph (Sydney)
A man charged with stealing several rifles and shotguns from a Brisbane Catholic school will remain behind bars as police try to track down the weapons.
Jason Francis Williams, 43, was remanded in custody after he appeared in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
Williams and a 27-year-old woman have been charged with breaking into a high-security building at St Joseph's Nudgee College and removing about 10 firearms.
A large amount of ammunition was also stolen... (GunPolicy.org)
County Gun Shop May Have Been Worst in US, Missing Guns and Illegal Sales
26 April 2014
Seattle Times
BURLINGTON, Skagit County — For more than 65 years, Kesselring Gun Shop has been a firearms fixture in the Northwest, arming hunters, target shooters and police from one of the largest inventories on the West Coast.
Until surrendering its federal firearms license last October, the family-owned gun store also may have been the worst gun retailer in America.
It was nearly a decade ago when inspectors with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)... (GunPolicy.org)
Can 'Stray Bullets' Be Deemed Innocent? Turkey Considers New Gun Laws
23 April 2014
Today's Zaman (Istanbul), Opinion
Earlier this week, Turkey saw two terrifying incidents in which stray bullets caused injury and, in one case, the death of a 24-year-old. Erkan Bektaş, a waiter who was leaving work at a café in İstanbul's Beşiktaş district at 5 a.m., was shot in the head by a stray bullet when he was walking down the street. The individual who shot him was caught up in a bar fight. The dispute, which the young waiter was not involved in, had reportedly erupted among a group of men... (GunPolicy.org)
US Doctor Funds Gun Injury Research with $1 Million of His Own Money
22 April 2014
ProPublica
Federal funding for research on gun violence has been restricted for nearly two decades. President Obama urged Congress to allocate $10 million for new research after the Newtown school shooting. But House Republicans say they won't approve it. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's budget still lists zero dollars for research on gun violence prevention.
One of the researchers who lost funding in the political battle over studying firearms was Dr. Garen... (GunPolicy.org)
Online Gun Sales, 3D Printing Pushes Firearms Into Hands of Australian Criminals
22 April 2014
ABC News (Australia)
His name is ReadySetGo, and for $250 he can get you a gun straight out of a James Bond movie.
It is an easily concealed plastic handgun that fires a plastic - but lethal - bullet and cannot be detected by X-rays and metal scanners.
Or there is OzGun, who for $3,950 can source a single Glock 17s, the gun favoured by Australian law enforcement.
OzGun can also get you ammunition, while ReadySetGo will provide barrels for his firearms in a variety of calibres: 9mm, .380,... (GunPolicy.org)
Fewer Gun Licences Being Issued in Netherlands
17 April 2014
Netherlands Times
Police have been issuing fewer gun licenses in recent years and many are being revoked.
In 2013 75,000 licenses were issued; this figure includes new licenses and extensions of sports and game firearm owners. It has dropped by 2,000 over 2011. Police say many applications are being denied - 109 in 2013, 75 in 2011 - and even more are being withdrawn - 230 in 2013, 346 in 2012 and 226 in 2011.
The declining gun license figures are linked to a more restrictive policy... (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)
US Doctors Say Gun Violence a Public Health Issue
10 April 2014
Washington Post
With last month's controversy over Vivek Murthy's nomination for surgeon general still fresh, the nation's second-largest physicians group reaffirmed Thursday that it considers firearm violence a public health issue and issued a wide-ranging set of recommendations to address the deaths and injuries caused by guns.
The timing appears to be coincidental. But like Murthy — whose nomination was blocked in large part by a National Rifle Association offensive over his... (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)
First Week of Boston Gun Buyback Collects 136 Firearms
31 March 2014
Boston Globe
The first week of Boston's gun buyback program has led to the recovery of 136 firearms, including 129 pistols, the type of firearms most likely to be used in a crime, police said.
Police Sergeant Michael McCarthy said the guns have been handed over to police in nearly every neighborhood, by people of a wide variety of ages.
"We have had just about every type of community member bringing them in," said McCarthy. "And in just about every location, we had somebody... (GunPolicy.org)
Small Arms Commission Begins Nationwide Marking of Weapons in Ghana
19 March 2014
Ghana Web
The National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons has begun a nationwide exercise to mark all weapons of the various security agencies.
The exercise which started with the military will be extended to other security agencies such as the Police, prisons, immigration and the Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS).
The marking of weapons involves a systematic embossment of unique identification numbers on firearms to make them easily identifiable and... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany,Colombia,United States,Libya,Georgia,Russia,Mexico
Banned German Firearms Being Sold in Colombia
1 March 2014
Deutsche Welle
German law prohibits the export of weapons to crisis or conflict regions. But guns sporting the label "Made in Germany" are being sold in war-torn Colombia. Manufacturers have denied any involvement in illegal exports.
A person who wants to buy a gun legally in Colombia must be at least 25 years old, provide proof of income and a gun license and possess no criminal record. The arms trade in the South American country is a state monopoly run by the weapons manufacturer... (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)
Eight Guns Lost or Stolen Every Week in Ireland Last Year
24 February 2014
Herald (Dublin)
Almost 1,300 firearms, including shotguns and rifles, have been lost or stolen over the past four years.
Official figures obtained by the Herald show around 1,134 registered weapons, mainly shotguns and rifles, were stolen in the last four years.
Some 159 weapons were lost, most of which were shotguns, but also included in the list are 18 rifles and one airgun, which went missing last year.
Last year alone eight firearms were lost or stolen every week.
There are... (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)
Ghana Authorities Begin Marking State, Private Guns to Prevent Theft
21 February 2014
Ghana Web
The National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons, on Wednesday, started its nationwide exercise to mark all weapons of the various security agencies, which aims at controlling the proliferation of illegal arms.
The marking of the weapons involves a systematic embossment of unique identification numbers on firearms in an easily identifiable and coherent manner upon which a database will be kept to help trace any illegally diverted weapon from the state... (GunPolicy.org)
Two Nigerian Men Held in Sierra Leone for Unlicensed Guns
10 February 2014
Concord Times (Freetown)
Two Nigerians - Paul Ekechukwu and Prince Duru - were last Friday remanded at the maximum security prison at Pademba Road for allegedly being in possession of firearms without license.
The accused are being tried at the Freetown Magistrates' Court No. 2, presided over by Magistrate Komba Kamanda, on two counts of unlawful possession of small arms without license, contrary to section 19(2) of the Arms and Ammunition Act No.14 of 1955, as repealed and replaced by section... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Policy No Longer Domestic as Weapons are Smuggled to Mexico
1 February 2014
National Catholic Reporter (Kansas City)
Mexico, a state with highly restrictive gun laws, minimal arms manufacturing, and only one gun shop in the entire country, is awash in firearms, many of them from the United States. A study published last year by the Trans-Border Institute at the University of San Diego estimates that upward to a quarter-million weapons are purchased in the U.S. and smuggled into Mexico annually.
Amid the hyperviolence of Mexico's war on drugs, this southward flow of illicit arms has... (GunPolicy.org)
Russian Cops Searching for Owner of Assault Weapon Left at IKEA
28 January 2014
RIA Novosti (Russia)
MOSCOW – A visit to Moscow's popular and crowded IKEA furniture stores can often be a trying experience, but somebody appears to have courted temptation by taking along their Kalashnikov.
Russian online media reported Tuesday that police are looking for somebody who left an assault rifle in a coatroom at an outlet of the Swedish retailer in the Moscow suburb of Khimki.
The 1974 Kalashnikov and more than 100 rounds of ammunition were discovered Tuesday morning at the... (GunPolicy.org)
St Kitts & Nevis,United States
eTrace System Leads to Arrests in St Kitts for Gun Crimes
27 January 2014
SKN Vibes, Media release
BASSETERRE, St Kitts - The Electronic Tracing System (eTrace), utilized by the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force since September 2012, has proven quite useful and has led to a number of arrests at home and abroad.
A recent report indicated that eighteen illegal firearms seized by security forces in 2013, have been traced using the database accessed by law enforcement in more than 30 countries outside of the United States. The system helps to determine a... (GunPolicy.org)
Investigation After Allegations of Temporary Gun Licences for Cash in S Africa
26 January 2014
Independent/IOL Daily News (South Africa) / Post (South Africa)
Police have uncovered a corrupt gun syndicate that has granted temporary firearm licences to 150 Chinese nationals in Durban.
The Sunday Tribune has learnt that the Chinese businessmen have been able to buy the temporary licences for R30 000 from corrupt police officials, often with a turnaround time of a day.
Sources close to the probe, who cannot be named as they are not authorised to speak to the media, said there were major discrepancies in the licence issuing... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Independent/IOL Daily News (South Africa) / Post (South Africa)
Second US Gun Company Limits California Pistol Sales to Protest Ammo Marking Law
23 January 2014
New York Times
LOS ANGELES — Smith & Wesson, the firearms manufacturer, announced Thursday that it would not sell new semiautomatic pistols in California because of its objections to a gun safety law that took effect in the state last May.
The Unsafe Handgun Act, which was signed into law by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2007, requires gun makers to use a technology called microstamping in new or upgraded gun models. Microstamping uses a laser to print a unique code on shell... (GunPolicy.org)
Smith & Wesson, Gun Lobby Fight California Law to Trace Crime Guns
23 January 2014
Los Angeles Times
SACRAMENTO — Gun maker Smith & Wesson announced Thursday that it would stop selling newly designed semiautomatic pistols in California because of a state law requiring those firearms to imprint a unique, identifying "microstamp" on bullet casings.
The law, signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2007 but not implemented until May 2013, is intended to help police investigators link shell casings found at crime scenes to a specific gun.
Smith & Wesson joins gun maker... (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)
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)
Guatemala,Russia,Italy,United States,Honduras,El Salvador,South Korea,China,Belgium
Majority of Legal Guns in El Salvador Traced Back to US [PT]
6 January 2014
Vermelho / El Pais
[Translated summary: Around 60% of legal guns traced in El Salvador originate in the US according to ATF data. The US has a similar tracing system in place with Honduras and Guatemala. 70% of El Salvador's homicides are committed with firearms. Many of these guns are bought legally in America and trafficked to El Salvador.]
Cerca de 60% das armas legais rastreadas em El Salvador têm sua origem nos Estados Unidos. O dado, obtido graças a um programa de colaboração... (GunPolicy.org)
American Gun Running: A Lot of Canadians Want Smuggled Handguns
17 December 2013
Windsor Star (Ontario), Blog
Riccardo Tolliver pulled up to the Ambassador Bridge customs booth, his pulse quickening, his nerves rattling, firepower on his mind. But he dared not show anxiety – not with almost 40 handguns hidden in door panels of his black Hummer H2.
He had hired a friend to drive, it being the first time Tolliver personally smuggled guns across the Canadian border. He figured as a passenger he would not be flagged.
He was wrong.
Border officers noticed a drunk-driving... (GunPolicy.org)
Luck, Police Collaboration Nail Long-time US-Canada Gun Runners
17 December 2013
Windsor Star (Ontario), Blog
The biggest Windsor-Detroit gun-smuggling ring ever busted came crashing down because of a seatbelt.
One unbuckled belt. One routine traffic stop. A bunch of odd answers. And 16 illegal firearms hidden in a trunk.
Special Agent Brian Beardsley with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, knew he had something big the night he took a call in March 2005 from the Monroe County Sheriff's Department saying officers found 16 handguns with serial... (GunPolicy.org)
The One Thing America Did on Gun Control Since Newtown
16 December 2013
Washington Post
More than a year after the most significant mass shooting this century, at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., Congress has failed to curtail the availability of guns in America. But one thing has happened on the federal level - or rather, not happened - that has at least delayed the spread of U.S.-made sporting firearms around the world.
For the past four years, the State Department has been working to streamline the process of exporting goods that can be... (GunPolicy.org)
Report Shows 80 Percent of Privately Held Arms in Nigeria are Illegal
13 December 2013
This Day (Lagos)
A report has revealed that all parts of Nigeria are ravaged with armed violence, which has been detrimental to the socio-economic well-being of the country, with 80 per cent of weapons in private hands having been acquired illegally.
The report, titled: 'The Violent Road', which was presented to the media in Abuja yesterday, was conducted by the National Working Group on Armed Violence (NWGAV) in conjunction with the United Kingdom based Non Governmental Organisation... (GunPolicy.org)
Women Twice as Likely to be Shot Dead by Partner Than by Stranger
13 December 2013
University of California / EurekAlert, Media release
SACRAMENTO, California — More intensive screening to identify firearm owners among individuals who are subject to domestic violence restraining orders, and streamlining processes to recover guns at the time those restraining orders are served could help enforce existing laws that prohibit these offenders from having firearms, a pilot study conducted by violence prevention experts at the University of California, Davis, and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public... (GunPolicy.org)
Inside the NRA: Why US Gun Control Always Fails – NY Times Magazine
12 December 2013
New York Times
To get to Joe Manchin's private office in the Hart Senate Office Building, you first pass through a lobby where you encounter a small bronze statue of an Old West lawman holding a firearm — an award given to Manchin several years ago by a chapter of the National Rifle Association for his unswerving defense of gun rights. Then you turn down a hallway, past several framed photographs of children who were victims of the massacre a year ago at Sandy Hook Elementary School... (GunPolicy.org)
More Than Half of Americans Now Have Tougher Gun Laws
12 December 2013
Mother Jones (USA)
An unthinkable massacre ignites an intense national debate. Then, Congress does nothing. The powerful gun lobby wins again. End of story.
[Interactive charts of US state gun laws are displayed in the original]
So went the popular narrative last spring with the collapse of gun control legislation on Capitol Hill. Meanwhile, scores of people have been wounded or killed in five new mass shootings and other gun rampages around the country, and an estimated 30,000 have... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Côte d'Ivoire,Liberia
Liberia Govt Officials Allegedly Involved in Secret Firearm Deals
11 December 2013
New Dawn (Monrovia)
Details emerging from the latest UN Panel of Experts report on Liberia have unveiled some chilling and staggering information as to how government officials and or political appointees are secretly acquiring firearms.
The UN Panelists appointed to monitor the arms embargo and other military related activities here in pursuant to UN resolution 2079 (2012), said most of the firearms were either purchased from returning mercenaries from the Ivory Coast or through other... (GunPolicy.org)
Bahamas Police Seize Over 100 Guns in New Tracing Operation
6 December 2013
Bahamas Weekly
NASSAU, Bahamas - An enhanced effort by the RBPF Firearms Tracing and Investigations Unit, aimed at ridding the streets of illegal firearms is paying off.
Officers assigned to the Unit have removed more than 100 illegal weapons off streets across New Providence since its implementation in September 2013.
The recovery of five (5) illegal weapons off the streets of New Providence on Thursday 5th December 2013, was yet another example of the excellent work of the... (GunPolicy.org)
Kazakh Police Buy Back Over 8,500 Illegal Guns
5 December 2013
Central Asian Online
ASTANA – Kazakhstani citizens this autumn handed in more than 8,500 illegal firearms, almost 800,000 rounds of ammunition, and 50 explosive devices to the police during a weapon buy-back campaign, Tengri News reported December 4, citing the Interior Ministry (MVD).
Police paid 268m KZS (US $1.7m) for the firearms, bullets and explosives. The buy-back ran from September 1 to November 30, the MVD... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada Delays Gun Tracing Regulations for Sixth Time
4 December 2013
Toronto Star (Ontario)
OTTAWA — The federal Conservatives have once again pushed back regulations that would require gun manufacturers and importers to imprint the year and country of origin on their products.
It's the sixth time the federal government has punted the regulations, which are required by two international treaties, down the road for more consultations with industry. And the government is signalling the current review may result in the repeal of the regulations... (GunPolicy.org)
Jamaica Police Upgrade Firearm Ballistic and Tracing Technology
3 December 2013
Jamaica Observer
Commissioner Owen Ellington appears pleased that the police force's forensic capabilities have been upgraded with new equipment and technology, as well as training for staff. Now, he is anxious to have the expertise gained by the constabulary tested in the courts.
"There are some very important cases to come to court soon, and I think there's one in court now which, if we get an opportunity, we can put on display some of the new investigative techniques that we've... (GunPolicy.org)
Central America,Guatemala,El Salvador,United States
El Salvador Tracking Program Reveals Most Arms Come From US
2 December 2013
InSight Crime (Bogota)
A program to track El Salvador's hundreds of thousands of firearms has established that most come from the United States, suggesting civil war era weapons are being replaced through new arms trafficking networks.
With training from the US Office on Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), El Salvador's National Police (PNC) has tracked around 34,000 arms in the last two years, reported La Prensa Grafica. The aim is ultimately to track all legal registered arms, which the... (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)
The Case for Tracing Guns: Europe/US Cooperation Catches Criminals
1 December 2013
OSCE
In 2010 the United Kingdom's National Ballistic Intelligence Service (NBIS) received a request to research the origin of three Glock pistols recovered in the North West of England. Within days, it had established that the weapons had been purchased from a weapons manufacturer in North Carolina, United States.
This was possible thanks to close collaboration with the American Bureau for Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (AtF) and the use of eTrace, its online tracing tool,... (GunPolicy.org)
Iraq,Syria,Israel,India,Ireland,Togo,Canada,United States,Afghanistan,Côte d'Ivoire,Iran,Sri Lanka,Germany,Russia
Growing Number of Personalised Firearms to Boost Safety Available
30 November 2013
Economist
To help push Soviet forces out of Afghanistan in the 1980s, America's Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) gave Afghan fighters shoulder-launched Stinger anti-aircraft missiles (pictured). Accurate and easy-to-use, the Stingers caused grievous losses. But after the Soviet withdrawal in 1989, the CIA wanted to discourage the use of the leftover missiles. It got hold of some of those circulating on the black market and booby-trapped them, so that anyone who tried to fire one... (GunPolicy.org)
US Veteran Sentenced After Illegally Shipping Guns to Israel, Canada
28 November 2013
Post-Gazette (Pittsburgh)
A military veteran from Wheeling, W.Va., has been sentenced to five years of federal probation for illegally shipping guns to Israel, Canada and elsewhere.
Michael Frank, 26, admitted in January that he sold 24 weapons to foreign customers. The U.S. attorney's office had argued that he deserved at least four years in prison, while his lawyer asked for an alternative to jail time. He was sentenced Tuesday.
The case began in May 2012 after authorities in Jerusalem... (GunPolicy.org)
South Sudan Authorities Trained to Mark, Trace Guns
27 November 2013
Sudan Tribune (France)
JUBA — The United Nations Mission in South Sudan, through it disarmament, demobilization and reintegration work is providing intensive training to the South Sudan security services in order to create a national Bureau for Community Security and Small Arms Control.
A composite group from South Sudan's army (SPLA), the South Sudanese Police Service, National Security, Wildlife and Prison Services have participated in an intensive 12-day training funded by the UNMISS... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Police Find 'Staggering Collection' of Guns After Customs Tip-Off
14 November 2013
Times-Colonist (British Columbia)
Police unveiled a "staggering collection" of firearms Wednesday, seized from a Prince George home following an investigation that began when border guards came across two suspicious packages.
Karl Haus, 53, now faces 17 charges in relation to the haul from a Prospect Point home in the Hart Highlands where police uncovered nine rifles — a fully-automatic M-16 and a fully-automatic AK-47 among them — as well as three handguns, two of which were loaded, and two... (GunPolicy.org)
NRA Touts Israel as Model for US Law: Full Gun Registration, Licensing
7 November 2013
Jerusalem Post
A National Rifle Association delegation from the United States was joined by former US ambassador to the UN John R. Bolton Thursday for a tour and briefing at the capital's Police Intelligence and Observation Center, located in the Old City.
The state-of-the-art center, which features nearly 40 high definition screens monitoring the Old City 24 hours a day, is utilized to alert officers to any potential threats.
Bolton, who served under former president George W. Bush... (GunPolicy.org)
Italian Police Find Gun Cache, Over 1,000 Bullets in Cemetery
29 October 2013
Gazzetta del Sud (Italy)
POMIGLIANO D'ARCO, Naples - Carabinieri military police on Tuesday unearthed a small arms cache buried in a cemetery in the town of Pomigliano D'Arco located northeast of Naples, near Mount Vesuvius. The mini arsenal consisted of a 12-caliber shotgun and three sub-machine guns, all with no serial numbers, as well as more than 1000 bullets of various calibers. The weapons were taken to a ballistics lab for testing to find out if they have been used by the Naples Camorra... (GunPolicy.org)
Denmark,Southern Europe,Eastern Europe,Norway,Sweden,Croatia,Kosovo,Albania,Montenegro,Serbia
Balkan Police Work to Raise Public Awareness Against Arms Trafficking
25 October 2013
Southeast European Times
Increasing police co-operation and raising public awareness about the danger from firearms is the key to limiting the trafficking of illegal weapons in the Balkans, experts said.
Civil society groups estimated there are millions of small and light arms that are widely available.
"The significant number of circulating small and light weapons creates a fertile ground for the general sense of insecurity, vulnerability of citizens to armed violence and serious crime, with... (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)
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)
EU Survey Reveals Irish Gun Escalation Fears, Law Reform Considered
21 October 2013
Independent (Dublin)
Almost three-quarters of Irish people think gun crime is going to escalate, a report has found.
As the European Commission called for tighter controls on firearms including stricter licensing, it released findings of a survey which showed 71% of Irish people expect an increase in gun violence in the next five years, compared to an average of 58% across the continent.
Brussels said it wants to use new laws, including possible minimum sentencing, to tackle the threats... (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)
Former Cop, Top Shooter Charged with Gun Trafficking in Canada
16 October 2013
Lethbridge Herald (Alberta)
A retired Lethbridge police officer accused in an illegal Calgary gun ring now faces new charges.
Daniel Francis Bennett, 65, is accused of falsely reporting to police that several handguns had been stolen from his West Lethbridge garage and then filing a bogus insurance claim. Calgary police later uncovered some of those guns as they searched for the source of an illegal weapons trade on the streets of Calgary.
Bennett, who retired from the Lethbridge Regional Police... (GunPolicy.org)
Worker Shocked After Finding Three Assault Weapons at Kenya Golf Club
9 October 2013
Standard (Nairobi)
NAIROBI, Kenya - A worker was shocked when he discovered three AK 47 rifles and more than 80 bullets hidden in a bush near a popular golf club in Nairobi's Karen area.
The rifles with 87 bullets were discovered on Tuesday evening by a worker at the golf club hidden in the bush while covered with clothes and a bag.
Police say they are yet to know the owners of the luggage believed to have hidden them there after using them in unknown incident.
Langata head of CID... (GunPolicy.org)
ATF Head Still Boxed in by Politics, Low Resources in America
6 October 2013
Minnesota Public Radio / Associated Press
WASHINGTON - When President Barack Obama picked B. Todd Jones to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, it looked like the moment had arrived when the beleaguered ATF would reassert itself as an agency with teeth.
It was January, and the nation was embroiled in a rare debate on gun control, the result of the massacre at a Connecticut elementary school the previous month. The White House pushed for tougher gun laws and Congress seemed unusually... (GunPolicy.org)
Paraguay,Panama,United States,Costa Rica
Costa Rica Puts Gun Permit Applications Online
1 October 2013
Tico Times
Starting Tuesday, aspiring gun owners in Costa Rica can now obtain their permits online, part of a larger trend by the government to include more services on the web.
The head of the Public Security Ministry, Mario Zamora, made the announcement at a Tuesday press conference in the western San José neighborhood of La Sabana. Zamora noted that the system will make it easier for permit-holders and will be a law enforcement tool, tracking the country's firearms.
"The new... (GunPolicy.org)
Barbados Officials Tracking Suspicious Gun Imports
27 September 2013
Stabroek News (Guyana)
Police investigators were yesterday working with the Customs Department to determine from which country 18 disassembled firearms were shipped into Barbados.
They were also looking for a fourth suspect in connection with Tuesday's weapons discovery at a Christ Church home, which included various calibers of guns and ammunition.
The suspected involvement of a Customs broker and a mechanic among three people held by lawmen has triggered an intelligence operation headed... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany Supports Marking, Registration of Guns in Sudan
18 September 2013
Sudan Vision Daily
KHARTOUM - German Embassy in Khartoum and the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) celebrated, here yesterday, receiving of support from the German Embassy that including equipment and technical systems to assist in the registration of arms in Darfur.
German Ambassador to Khartoum said that his country supports the efforts to achieve peace and security in Sudan. He praised the efforts of the DDR in supporting programmes of peace and stability, pointing... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia,United States,Sweden,England & Wales,Germany
US Man Charged With Shipping Guns Internationally, Including Australia
12 September 2013
Courier-Journal (Kentucky) / Associated Press
In a secretive corner of the Internet, buyers and sellers can meet up in a marketplace where virtually anything is available.
That's where federal investigators say that 33-year-old Adam Joseph Bunger used various aliases to sell weapons to buyers overseas — including to people in countries with strict firearm purchasing and ownership laws.
Bunger is charged in federal court in Kentucky with shipping a firearm in foreign commerce, delivering a firearm to an... (GunPolicy.org)
Draft European Union Decision to Approve UN Firearms Protocol
12 September 2013
UK Home Office and Ministry of Justice
The Minister of State for Policing and Criminal Justice (Damian Green): The UK has opted into the draft Council Decision to approve, on behalf of the EU, the UN Firearms Protocol against the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts and components and ammunition. The Protocol supplements the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime.
The Protocol creates a legal regime for the transnational movement of firearms and contains... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexican Drug Cartel Leader's Assault Rifle Traced to US Felon Gun Seller
12 September 2013
San Antonio Express-News (Texas)
An assault rifle seized during the July arrest of one of Mexico's most violent drug lords — Miguel Angel "Z-40" Treviño Morales — has been traced to a shady gun seller whose Spring Branch home was searched last week and netted what authorities said was a "small arsenal."
More than 10,000 rounds of ammunition, 76 guns and $15,000 in cash were seized from Manuel "Manny" Rodriguez, 65, who was sentenced in 2002 to 47 months in the federal penitentiary after being... (GunPolicy.org)
Taiwanese Authorities Seize Modified Guns, Drugs
11 September 2013
China Post (Taiwan)
TAIPEI, Taiwan - The Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) recently cooperated with the Taoyuan County Police Bureau to arrest three suspects on charges of drug possession and firearm sales, seizing a large number of modified firearms and drugs.
Between Saturday and Monday authorities seized three modified guns, 28 bullets, two cartridges, a bullet-proof vest, 11.56 grams of heroine and 43.23 grams of amphetamines.
The Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office will prosecute... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Culture, Legal Guns Helped Fan Violent Riots in India
10 September 2013
Times of India
NEW DEHLI - One factor that led to the Muzaffarnagar riots going out of hand is the region's gun culture and weapons, mostly legal, owned by residents.
Preliminary investigations have found that during the riots shots were fired from licenced weapons which number over 15,000 in the riot-hit region. Sources in riot control operations said some of those who died were shot by .12 bore licenced rifles.
"Further investigations will be carried out to nail people behind... (GunPolicy.org)
Man Charged With Smuggling Handguns from US to Canada
6 September 2013
Vancouver Sun (British Columbia)
An Osoyoos man has been charged after allegedly selling dozens of smuggled firearms to gangsters in the Okanagan and Metro Vancouver.
Tyler Ryan Cuff, 30, is believed to have used his dual U.S.-Canadian citizenship to legally purchase Glocks and other handguns at various Washington State gun shows.
Cuff then allegedly smuggled the firearms into B.C. inside both a truck and car passing through the border crossing between Osoyoos and Oroville, Washington.
Sgt. Lindsey... (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)
South African Group to Mark, Record Weapons in South Sudan
26 August 2013
Bor Globe (USA)
The United Nations (UN) has enlisted the services of a South African partnership to establish a weapons marking and identification system in South Sudan.
The marking and identification process is unique in Africa and was designed and developed in South Africa by a partnership of FACTT, a software development company, and Traceability Solutions, a hardware development and manufacturing organisation.
"If ever there was a baptism by fire for our product, this is it,"... (GunPolicy.org)
Uruguay Govt Passes Draft Law Banning Some Guns, Ammo [ES]
21 August 2013
La Red 21 (Uruguay)
[Translated summary: The Uruguay Government has passed a draft law which bans the possession and carrying of firearms and ammunition that have not been approved by the Ministries of Interior and Defence. Weapons and dealers must be registered with authorities, as unregistered weapons may be seized. The penalties for arms trafficking and altering either weapons or markings have been increased.]
El proyecto contó con los votos afirmativos de la bancada del Frente... (GunPolicy.org)
US Convicted Murderer's Case For Gun Control
21 August 2013
Atlantic (USA)
It was swift and cowardly.
Defenseless, distracted by music, Alex sat in the passenger seat of the rental as I made my way to the trunk. I remembered Frankie's words: "It's loaded, cocked, and the safety is off. All you have to do is pull the trigger."
At that point in our lives, Alex and I, both in our early twenties, were gun-toting thugs immersed in gangster culture. We were out on bail for separate gun charges. A few years before, Alex had been acquitted of murder... (GunPolicy.org)
Indonesia Police Launch Crack Down on Illegal, Unlicensed Guns
14 August 2013
Jakarta Post
The National Police will crack down on illegal possession of firearms following a series of shootings against police officers and prison guards.
National Police deputy chief Comr. Gen. Oegroseno said on Tuesday that strict law enforcement would be imposed on those possessing illegal firearms. "We will intensify our precautionary measures. Those who are fooling around with firearms will face legal proceedings," Oegroseno told reporters at National Police headquarters on... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Law Reform in Venezuela - Part 1 of 2
7 August 2013
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Last month President Nicolas Maduro signed into law a disarmament bill that has gone under various revisions within the National Assembly since 2010. The law signifies an important attempt by the Venezuelan government and legislature to control the flow of arms in the country. In this post we look at the evolution of the law, the conflicts that the law has produced (both between the opposition and the government and within Chavista ranks), and provide a summary of the... (GunPolicy.org)
OAS to Train Suriname Police in Marking Guns to Combat Trafficking
5 August 2013
Xinhua
KINGSTON - The Organization of American States (OAS) will train Suriname police on Tuesday and Wednesday to combat arms trafficking through marking weapons, according to reports reaching here from Paramaribo on Monday.
The two-day workshop will take place at police headquarters in Paramaribo where Suriname policemen will be trained in using firearms marking machine donated by OAS.
Firearms marking is a process that permanently marks the weapon with unique and... (GunPolicy.org)
Tanzania Authorities Fighting Against Illegal Crime Guns
3 August 2013
Tanzania Daily News
A high percentage of firearms in the country are currently in the hands of wrong people and President Jakaya Kikwete has issued a directive for culprits to surrender weapons immediately or face the full force of the law.
Addressing residents in Biharamulo District, Mr Kikwete issued a two week ultimatum for culprits to comply, warning that a major operation is underway to recover these weapons.
"We cannot allow Tanzanians to be terrorised by a few criminals," warned... (GunPolicy.org)
Malay Police Using New Ballistics System to Trace Crime Guns
2 August 2013
New Straits Times (Malaysia)
KUALA LUMPUR - Police are conducting a massive ballistics and gun-matching exercise to narrow down the leads in shooting cases that have seen a surge in recent months.
The force recently acquired the Integrated Ballistics Identification System (IBIS) to analyse bullets and guns and is rapidly building up a comprehensive database.
This means that investigators will be able to compare ballistics evidence gathered at crime scenes and from criminals against the central... (GunPolicy.org)
South America,United States,Mexico,Central America,Caribbean,Brazil
Lax US Gun Laws Blamed for Worsening Latin American Violence
31 July 2013
Los Angeles Times
Lax U.S. gun regulations are enabling the international trafficking of high-powered weapons and fueling the spread of gun violence in Latin America and the Caribbean, the Council on Foreign Relations argues in a report urging President Obama to take action on initiatives that have foundered in Congress.
More than 70% of the 99,000 weapons recovered by Mexican law enforcement since 2007 were traced to U.S. manufacturers and importers, the council report said, citing... (GunPolicy.org)
Greek Police Find Suspected Gun Dealer During Hunt for Missing Girl
30 July 2013
Ekathimerini (Greece)
Police searching for a missing 16-year-old girl in the Athens neighborhood of Dafni stumbled upon an arms cache and arrested a 44-year-old man they believe may be a weapons dealer.
Officers searched an apartment block in the area on suspicion that the teenager had been there with a 29-year-old convicted murderer and rapist who escaped recently from Grevena Prison.
They found traces that the fugitive and the 16-year-old had been in the building's underground... (GunPolicy.org)
Trade in Iron and Blood: Impact of American Guns on Mexican Violence
30 July 2013
Action on Armed Violence
For all the news and emotion surrounding the debate over mass-shootings and gun-control within the United States, another related tragedy has been unfolding simultaneously just across the border. But, unlike in the US, this tragedy has much greater bloodshed and much less media attention.
Since 2006, tens of thousands of people have been killed in Mexico in drug-related violence. The numbers dead are similar to a conventional war. But, in contrast to other conflicts... (GunPolicy.org)
Thousands of Guatemalans Arrested Over Illegal Guns [ES]
25 July 2013
El Semanario (Mexico)
[Translated summary: Over 4,100 people have been arrested in Guatemala for illegal weapons possession since January 2012 as authorities consider law reform to increase penalties. Official data shows 14,090 people are licensed to carry guns while a new strategy to disarm criminal groups is under way. 90% of homicides are gun-related and 80% of victims are between 14 - 24 years old.]
Guatemala, Guatemala.- El ministro de Gobernación de Guatemala, Mauricio López... (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)
Caribbean Needs to Stem Illegal Trade in Small Arms
23 July 2013
Cayman News Service
The Caribbean's ambassador to the United Nations has said the region needs to address the small arms trade which is causing intense violence in its communities. Speaking at the seventh general meeting of CARICOM and the UN in New York Monday, Irwin Larocque, CARICOM's Secretary-General said citizen security was of paramount concern as the "dimensions of the scourge of crime" increased and the region was plagued by the illegal trade in small arms. The Caribbean is a... (GunPolicy.org)
South African Cops Seize Ammo Allegedly Stolen from Army
16 July 2013
Independent/IOL Daily News (South Africa) / Star (Johannesburg)
JOHANNESBURG - Military police swooped on a security compound in Midrand on Monday, confiscating assault-rifle ammunition allegedly stolen from the army.
This comes in the wake of several exposés by The Star about alleged corrupt arms dealings by Dave Sheer Guns and two SAPS brigadiers.
On Sunday, Brigadier Mathapelo Miriam Mangwani, from the Central Firearms Registry, and the section head of firearms compliance, Brigadier Hlamane Elias Mahlabane, were suspended... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Independent/IOL Daily News (South Africa) / Star (Johannesburg)
Venezuela,Honduras,South America
Venezuela Experiment: Will a Gun Ban Stop the Murders?
15 July 2013
Lowell Sun (USA)
LIMA, Peru — Besieged by one of the world's highest murder rates, Venezuelans are hoping against hope that new gun controls may finally halt the violent crime wave engulfing their country.
The new Disarmament Law will restrict purchases of guns and ammunition to the army, police and the country's booming private security industry. Previously, anyone with a permit could legally buy a gun in Venezuela.
Signed into law in June by President Nicolas Maduro and due to... (GunPolicy.org)
Sierra Leone Needs to Implement Law to Reduce Gun Injuries, Deaths
12 July 2013
Concord Times (Sierra Leone)
Action on Armed Violence (AOAV), an international non-governmental organization working in partnership with the Sierra Leone Action Network on Small Arms (SLANSA), has in a baseline survey report on Armed Violence in Sierra Leone, recommended that government urgently implement the Arms and Ammunition Act of 2012, in order to track and trace firearms throughout the country.
"While the use of firearms is less common, these incidents resulted in injury or death for 100%... (GunPolicy.org)
CARICOM Countries Take Steps to Share Gun Tracing Information
10 July 2013
Bahamas Weekly
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago - CARICOM Member States have taken the next step in enabling the newly-created Regional Integrated Ballistic Information Network (RIBIN) Board to begin its work by electing representatives to serve on the RIBIN Board pursuant to a decision of the 5th Meeting of the Council of Ministers Responsible for National Security and Law Enforcement (CONSLE). The Director of the Forensic Science Laboratory Jamaica, Dr. Judith Mowatt, was... (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)
Libya,Syria,Turkey,Qatar,Russia
UNSC Asked to Probe Alleged Arms Supply from Libya to Syrian Rebels
5 July 2013
Xinhua
MOSCOW - Russia on Friday urged the UN Security Council (UNSC) to investigate media reports about illegal arms supply to the opposition in Syria.
"Russia applied to the UNSC Committee overseeing sanctions against Libya asking to initiate an investigation of the information (about alleged arms supply to the Syrian opposition from Libya)," the ministry said in an online statement.
It cited reports in western media that Libya has been supplying Syrian opposition with... (GunPolicy.org)
South African Cops Allegedly Involved in Gun Scandal
3 July 2013
Independent/IOL Daily News (South Africa) / Star (Johannesburg)
Johannesburg - A popular Joburg gun shop is at the centre of a police investigation into allegations of large-scale police corruption, bribery and creating fraudulent export permits.
An employee who worked at the gun dealer alleges that she paid bribes to police officers and lied to clients as part of her job as a sales manager.
She cannot be named as she is a State witness.
The Star has learnt that the Hawks and forensic consultants Paul O'Sullivan and Associates... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Independent/IOL Daily News (South Africa) / Star (Johannesburg)
France,Syria,Germany,Libya,Qatar,Switzerland,United States
Is Anyone Counting the Guns in Syria?
18 June 2013
Pacific Standard (USA)
Last night, in a televised interview with Charlie Rose, President Obama made the case for arming anti-Assad forces in Syria. In part, Obama was responding to critics who claim the U.S. weapons, once released, will be hard to control.
Is that true? Scholars who study small arms proliferation have looked at the 2011 war in Libya as a guide and found evidence of illegal arms transfers and poor tracking of weapons. More than a year after the war ended, no overall... (GunPolicy.org)
US Officials 'Hamstrung' by Lack of Gun Data
17 June 2013
Bloomberg (USA), Editorial
How do criminals get their guns? Are there observable patterns to gun crime? Who is at the greatest risk of injury, or causing injury to others, from firearm use? Which gun-safety practices are most effective at preventing accidental injury?
The answers to these and other basic questions remain difficult and obscure in part thanks to a senseless ban, on the books for a decade, that limits research on gun violence and denies researchers and even police and prosecutors... (GunPolicy.org)
Smith & Wesson Gun Sales Hit All-Time High in Year After Mass Shootings
14 June 2013
Guardian (UK)
Gun sales at Smith & Wesson have hit an all-time high during a year marked by some of the most horrific acts of gun violence in US history.
The arms manufacturer reported this week that sales for the year ending 30 April had hit a record $588m, a 43% year-on-year rise.
Smith & Wesson said fourth-quarter sales were up 38% year-on-year to $179m. It told investors it expects its first-quarter financial results to top market expectations and is planning to buy back $100m... (GunPolicy.org)