Gun Policy News
Removal of crime guns, illicit and high-risk firearms
Security Companies in Angola Must Hand In Weapons
2 September 2022
Jornal de Angola
Security companies have six months to hand in the war calibre weapons they use in their activities, against the rules set out in Law 10/14, commissioner Orlando Bernardo said yesterday during a press conference on the balance of criminal actions that occurred in August and September this year in the country.
The official clarified that after this deadline, companies that fail to deliver will do so in a coercive manner. "From now on, the coercive period will start, the... (GunPolicy.org)
Jamaica to Introduce the The Firearms (Prohibition, Restriction and Regulation) Act, 2022
29 July 2022
Jamaica Information Service
The House of Representatives recently approved the report and recommendations of the Joint Select Committee on the Firearms (Prohibition, Restriction and Regulation) Act (2022).
The Report outlines the recommended changes to the Bill, following the review and deliberations of the Joint Select Committee.
"Having regard to the number of amendments, it is proposed that the original Bill that was tabled on February 10, 2022, be withdrawn and a new amended Bill be tabled,"... (GunPolicy.org)
El Salvador Arrests Thousands but Gangs Keep Their Guns
22 July 2022
InSight Crime
Almost four months into a nationwide crackdown, El Salvador's government has failed to disarm its notorious street gangs.
It started at the end of March, when President Nayib Bukele revealed the government's official hashtag: #GuerraContraPandillas, or the 'war against the gangs.' The government boasts it has already arrested more than 45,000 so-called "terrorists," claiming these are almost all suspected members of the infamous Mara Salvatrucha (MS13) street gang, or... (GunPolicy.org)
Jamaica Pushes for Higher Standards of Investigation and Prosecution for Gun Crimes
7 July 2022
The Ministry of National Security
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security, Courtney Williams, says the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) is working to develop and promote higher standards for the investigation and prosecution of trafficking in firearms and related crimes.
While speaking at today's launch of a five-day training workshop, which is being organised by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Williams explained that the proliferation and increased access to illegal... (GunPolicy.org)
Jamaica Sees an Increase In Firearm Seizure From January To June
6 July 2022
Jamaica Information Service
The Jamaica Constabulary (JCF) Force is reporting a seven per cent increase in the seizure of illicit guns in the first six months of 2022 over the same period last year.
Addressing a virtual press briefing on July 5, Commissioner of Police, Major General Antony Anderson, informed that 392 firearms have been taken off the streets through the collaborative efforts of the JCF, Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), and other law-enforcement partners.
He said the figure represents... (GunPolicy.org)
US Guns Fuel Arms Trafficking in the Dominican Republic
3 June 2022
InSight Crime
Seizures of military-style assault weapons in the Dominican Republic are raising concerns that criminal groups are accessing powerful firearms smuggled from the United States and elsewhere.
On May 26, Dominican customs and police authorities launched a sting operation to dismantle an arms trafficking ring smuggling weapons into the Caribbean nation from the United States, according to a news release by the nation's customs authority.
During the raid at Haina Port,... (GunPolicy.org)
Dominican Republic,United States,Haiti
US Guns Fuel Arms Trafficking in the Dominican Republic
3 June 2022
InSight Crime
Seizures of military-style assault weapons in the Dominican Republic are raising concerns that criminal groups are accessing powerful firearms smuggled from the United States and elsewhere.
On May 26, Dominican customs and police authorities launched a sting operation to dismantle an arms trafficking ring smuggling weapons into the Caribbean nation from the United States, according to a news release by the nation's customs authority.
During the raid at Haina Port,... (GunPolicy.org)
Record Number of Guns Registered in Uruguay
2 April 2022
El Observador (Uruguay)
In 2021 there was a record number of guns registered in Uruguay; three times as many were regularised as in 2019.
Across the country there are 606,704 registrations; 37% are revolvers; long guns are preferred in the coastal region.
In August 2014, a law of José Mujica's government sought to regulate the possession, carrying, commercialisation and trafficking of arms and ammunition. It was only implemented two years later, in December 2016, when the corresponding... (GunPolicy.org)
Jamaica Hatches New Plan to Seize Illegal Guns as Murders Soar
10 February 2022
InsightCrime
As attention continues to focus on Jamaica's spiraling homicides, the country's prime minister has promised to stem the violence by clamping down on illegal firearms – a proposition that is easier said than done.
More than 90 guns have been seized as part of the government's "Get Every Illegal Gun" campaign, which launched in early February. The Jamaica Constabulary Force confiscated the latest batch at a gated community in Trelawney after a shootout that left a top... (GunPolicy.org)
Azerbaijan MIA Reveals How Many Weapons Found Last Year
3 January 2022
APA (Azerbaijan)
Necessary measures taken by law enforcement officers to clear the liberated territories of mines and other explosive devices, as well as to collect the weapons thrown down by the Armenian military units during the withdrawal, are being successfully continued, the Barda regional group of the Interior Ministry's (MIA) press Service told APA.
According to the MIA, In 2021, 225 submachine guns, 102 grenades, 68 machine guns, 64 tanks and anti-personnel missile systems, 10... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Australia,New Zealand,United Kingdom,Falkland Islands,Mexico
How US Gun Culture Stacks Up With the World
26 November 2021
CNN
Ubiquitous gun violence in the United States has left few places unscathed over the decades. Still, many Americans hold their right to bear arms, enshrined in the US Constitution, as sacrosanct. But critics of the Second Amendment say that right threatens another: The right to life.
America's relationship to gun ownership is unique, and its gun culture is a global outlier.
As the tally of gun-related deaths continue to grow daily, here's a look at how gun culture in... (GunPolicy.org)
Chile Destroys More Than 13,000 Firearms
12 November 2021
Euronews
Pistolas, escopetas, revólveres y fusiles. Chile se deshace de más de 13.000 armas de fuego incautadas en operativos o entregadas voluntariamente por ciudadanos. Una iniciativa del Gobierno, que se realiza cada año y que forma parte de la campaña "Entrega tu arma". El objetivo: evitar que las armas personales caigan en manos de criminales y limitar los riesgos asociados a la posesión de armas en el hogar.
270.000 armas destruidas desde 1990
A través de un... (GunPolicy.org)
Buenos Aires Hands Over 11,400 Seized Guns for Destruction
11 November 2021
Government of Argentina
Con la presencia de Soria y Alak, la provincia de Buenos Aires comenzó la entrega a la ANMaC de 11.400 armas secuestradas en procesos penales para iniciar su destrucción
Los ministros de Justicia de la Nación y de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, participaron del acto institucional que dio inicio a la entrega de armas de fuego del Servicio Penitenciario Bonaerense a la Agencia Nacional de Materiales Controlados (ANMaC). Las armas fueron decomisadas de circuitos... (GunPolicy.org)
Ecuador: The New Corridor for South American Arms Trafficking
4 October 2021
InSight Crime
As Ecuador reels from its worst prison massacre, military intelligence has recently revealed a flow of arms from Chile and Peru into Ecuador along its southern border, highlighting the country's key role in emerging arms trafficking routes.
A recent string of drug seizures, driven in part by increased enforcement, confirms police suspicions that Ecuador is a focal point for arms trafficking in South America. Police discovered ten heavy-caliber rifles during an August... (GunPolicy.org)
19,000 Firearms Licensed in Cork, Ireland
22 September 2021
Echo Live (Ireland)
If there are any concerns about a person who has a licence for a gun, that gun should be removed.
That is according to Fine Gael Cork North Central TD Colm Burke, who raised the issue of gun licences at this week's meeting of the Cork City Joint Policing Committee.
He said six people have died in two firearms incidents in Cork and Kerry since last October.
And he added: "We have had huge challenges in the Covid period."
He told The Echo: "The use of a gun is just... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigerian Students Denounce Influx of Illegal Firearms
26 August 2021
Daily Independent (Nigeria)
Students in Ogun State have blamed the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) over what they alleged as an influx of illegal firearms into the country through the borders in the state.
The students, under the aegis of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Ogun, the National Association of University Students (NAUS) and the National Association of Ogun State Students (NAOSS) lamented that the Ogun 1 Area Command of the Service was becoming a toothless bulldog... (GunPolicy.org)
314 Loose Firearms Surrendered in Tawi-Tawi, Philippines
24 August 2021
SunStar (Philippines)
The number of loose firearms the government has recovered through the Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) program has increased to 314, as the implementation of the program was expanded to the province of Tawi-Tawi.
About 70 loose firearms were surrendered in two Tawi-Tawi towns, as the government launched Sunday, August 22, the SALW program in the province, said Police Colone Bonard Briton, Tawi-Tawi provincial police director.
The remaining 244 loose firearms were... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigerian Villagers Stockpile Arms for Self-Defence
24 August 2021
Daily Trust (Nigeria)
Many communities in North West and North Central are contributing money to buy guns and other weapons to protect themselves against bandits, terrorists and other criminals, Daily Trust reports. Wealthy individuals are also reportedly buying personal guns to protect themselves against aggression or buying weapons for groups.
Villagers in Niger, Zamfara, Kaduna, Plateau and Katsina States are on the lead as many communities in States having security challenges have... (GunPolicy.org)
52 Guns Recovered Over Disarmament Exercise in Uganda
17 August 2021
Daily Monitor (Uganda)
The joint security force of police and the army has cautioned residents and others wishing to visit Karamoja to desist from using motorcycles to access the area.
The warning was issued by Karamoja Regional Police Spokesperson, Mr Michael Longole, while addressing the media on Monday.
He said riding motorcycles through the lonely routes such as Moroto, Kotido, Moroto, Nakapiripirit, Moroto Nabulatuk should be avoided at this time when the disarmament exercise is taking... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigeria Adopts Tougher Penalties for Illegal Firearms
1 July 2021
Daily Independent (Nigeria)
The Senate on Wednesday passed a bill which provides for three years jail term or N3 million fine or both, as penalties for anyone caught illegally possessing or dealing in firearms in Nigeria.
Titled 'Firearms Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021', the piece of legislation amends section 35 (2) of the Principal Act which previously provided a fine of just N1000 as penalty.
The amendment to section 35(2), which is captured in Clause 4 of the bill, provides for stiffer... (GunPolicy.org)
Merchants Of Death: Tactics Criminals Use to Smuggle Firearms Into Nigeria
21 May 2021
Punch (Nigeria)
Criminals are hell-bent on making Nigeria unsafe with the diverse methods being used to smuggle firearms into the country. The country is currently battling insurgents, killer herders, robbers, kidnappers and bandits using sophisticated weapons to cause mayhem across states in the country. The security agents have been able to bust some of the gangs and their methods of smuggling firearms into the country while others albeit escaped their eagle eyes. There are viral... (GunPolicy.org)
The Deadly Toll of California's Craft Weapons
18 May 2021
Guardian
When Brian Muhammad, a program manager at a gun violence prevention group in California, asked a 16-year-old boy in 2018 how young people were getting guns, he assumed the answer would be Nevada, the neighboring state with looser gun laws.
"Who would waste time going to Nevada when you can just get them in the mail and put it together?" the Stockton teen nonchalantly replied.
Three years later, homemade weapons known as "ghost guns" have risen to the top of the Biden... (GunPolicy.org)
Arms Trafficking in Togo and Benin
12 May 2021
TogoWeb (Togo)
[Translated text]
Have the Togolese become very active in arms trafficking? After the seizure of 70,000 12-gauge cartridges by the Beninese police, Togo also announced a second seizure of 1,300 cartridges of the same calibre. In both cases, Benin is mentioned as the final destination and the involvement of Togolese.
"On 30 April 2021 at around 1am, the patrol team of the Central Police Station of the city of Lomé stopped a suspicious AUDI car with the registration... (GunPolicy.org)
Multiple Arrests and Firearms Seized in Australian Police Raids
7 April 2021
Australian Border Force, Media release
Law enforcement agencies across Australia seized 823 firearms last month as part of a national week of action.
Operation Athena, a collaborative and national law enforcement group comprising of police from jurisdictions across Australia with assistance from Federal agencies including Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Australian Border Force (ABF) undertook a national week of action across Australia to target the trafficking and use of illicit firearms.
A number... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigeria: Tackling Insecurity with Cargo Tracking Note
26 March 2021
This Day (Nigeria)
Over the years Nigeria has been bedeviled by insecurity and the problem has become worse in the last five years.
The situation seems to have defied all effort by the federal government to check the menace. Apart from banditry and kidnapping for ransom, piracy in the nation's waters is at an all-time high.
Also, the country has been besieged by the outbreak of violence and conflicts, which have claimed thousands of lives and property.
For instance, Boko Haram has, in... (GunPolicy.org)
Weapons and Ammunition Seized in Segbe
19 March 2021
TogoWeb (Togo)
The defence and security forces have been carrying out control operations in certain areas of the city of Lomé and its surroundings for several weeks. The objective is to fight against the growing crime in the country.
On Thursday 18 March 2021, these operations were extended to the Segbe district, a locality located in the western suburbs of the capital in the Golfe 7 commune, according to a statement issued by the Minister of Security and Civil Protection, General... (GunPolicy.org)
How Arms Proliferation Fuels Insecurity in Nigeria
7 February 2021
All Africa
Despite efforts by security forces, violent crimes are on the hike pointing to availability of small and light weapons in the country. Experts attribute this trend to large unmanned borders.
Proliferation of arms, occasioned by illegal and porous borders and booming business of gun-running, is fuelling Nigeria's security challenges, giving rise to criminal activities across the country.
Investigations by Daily Trust show a spike in cases of banditry, kidnapping,... (GunPolicy.org)
Sudan Destroys 300,000 Illegal Firearms
30 September 2020
Daily Independent (Sudan)
The Sudanese government destroyed over 300,000 illegal weapons that were handed over voluntarily over three phases as part of the National Project for Collecting Firearms, announcing the launch of the fourth phase.
At a ceremony held in Hajar al-Asal area in northern Sudan, thousands of the firearms collected over the past three years were destroyed in a controlled explosion by the army.
The operation was carried out in the presence of defense and interior ministers,... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigerian State Sets Up Special Squad on Illegal Firearms
21 August 2020
Daily Independent (Nigeria)
The Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police, Mr Mike Okoli, has set up a special squad to mop up illegal firearms in the state.
A statement on Friday by Mr Asinim Butswat, the Police Public Relations Officer, quoted CP Okoli as saying that the initiative was in line with the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu.
He said the IGP had specifically directed "commissioners of police to initiate appropriate actions to identify, isolate, disarm,... (GunPolicy.org)
In 2020, more than 3,000 firearms were destroyed in Murcia, Spain
9 July 2020
Murcia Today (Spain)
9th July is International Gun Destruction Day
During the last year the Guardia Civíl destroyed a total of 86,566 weapons in Spain, 3,493 of which were confiscated in the Murcia region.
852 of the weapons from Murcia are small firearms and more than 2,000 long-barrel shotguns and rifles.
Some of the weapons are confiscated as their owners lack the necessary certification and others are seized by the Guardia during criminal investigations.
Public auctions are held to... (GunPolicy.org)
Ethiopia Passes New Gun Law to Combat Ethnic Violence
9 January 2020
Reuters
ADDIS ABABA - Ethiopia's parliament passed legislation on Thursday aimed at curbing gun ownership after a surge in regional ethnic violence blamed on a proliferation of small arms in private hands.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government said last April that it had seized 21 machine guns, more than 33,000 handguns, 275 rifles and 300,000 bullets in different parts of the Horn of Africa country over the previous year.
In October security forces confiscated a further... (GunPolicy.org)
South African Police Destroy 20,000 Collected Firearms
4 November 2019
The South African
The last national firearm destruction took place on the 17th of April 2019 wherein over 30 000 firearms were destroyed.
The South African Police Service plans to destroy 20 000 firearms on Tuesday morning by melting them, police spokesperson Colonel Brenda Muridili has announced. The destruction will take place in Vereeniging, Gauteng.
The firearms were seized by, surrendered to and forfeited to the state.
"To stamp the authority of the State the police have to... (GunPolicy.org)
38 Firearms Seized by Northern Territory Police
5 September 2019
ABC News (Australia)
A banned shotgun, a silencer and a 95-year-old pistol once owned by a legendary novelist have all been hauled in during a gun blitz by the Northern Territory Police.
Officers from the NT's Firearms Policy and Recording Unit last week seized 38 firearms from across the NT.
"A male will be facing charges of possessing a silencer, as well as importation offences for bringing that item into the country," said Senior Sergeant Drew Slape.
"People buy silencers generally... (GunPolicy.org)
More Than 2 Million Illegal Weapons Enter Mexico in the Last Decade
14 August 2019
Universidad de Guadalajara T.V
The Mexican government has records of 2,12,573 weapons that entered the country illegally in the last decade, and a large percentage of them have still not been recovered, Defence Secretary Luis Cresencio Sandoval said today.
Since this is a clandestine activity, the Mexican authorities rely on data provided by the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the minister explained at a press conference accompanied by Mexican President Andrés Manuel López... (GunPolicy.org)
South Australia Police Seize Over 238 Firearms in One Haul
5 August 2019
ABC News (Australia)
Police say a three-day search of secret rooms in an Adelaide Hills property has uncovered more than 200 illegal weapons, including an assault rifle "very similar" to the one used in the Texas mass shooting.
SA Police said officers from the Firearms Branch and Eastern Adelaide detectives searched the property just after 5:30 pm on Friday.
They said they found illegal reloading equipment, throwing knives, daggers, bayonets and military ammunition.
Some of the guns and... (GunPolicy.org)
South Africa Police Destroy Over 30,000 Collected Firearms
17 April 2019
Sunday Times (South Africa)
More than 30,000 firearms were destroyed by the police in Gauteng on Wednesday.
The firearms marked for destruction, at steel manufacturer ArcelorMittal in Vereeniging, had all been "seized, surrendered or forfeited" to the state, said police.
Police minister Bheki Cele was present and said: "Most of the firearms here today were surrendered. It is quite a period since we last destroyed firearms - it last happened late in 2016."
He said around two-thirds of the... (GunPolicy.org)
NSW Dealer Accused of Trafficking
11 April 2019
Sporting Shooter / SSAA
Shane Simpson, gun shop owner and presenter on Hunting The Menu, is accused of being a major underworld weapons supplier and of selling firearms used in crimes across Australia, including the executions of two of Sydney highest-ranking organised crime figures.
The Daily Telegraph reported police allege arms dealer Shane James Simpson operated out of a gun shop in Port Kembla near Wollongong and sold guns which were used in the murders of two of Sydney's most... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Firearms Dealer Charged, Hundreds of Guns Seized
11 April 2019
ABC News (Australia)
Key points:
- NSW Police seize 300 firearms from licensed gun dealer, who has been charged with 40 offences
- Dealer accused of being a 'professional facilitator' of organised crime networks across three states
- Accused has not applied for bail or entered a plea in court
A licensed firearms dealer in New South Wales has been charged with more than 40 firearms offences and had more than 300 guns seized from his business in what NSW Police have described as one of the... (GunPolicy.org)
NSW Gun Dealer Arrested for Selling Guns Illegally
10 April 2019
Illawarra Mercury
A Port Kembla firearms dealer has been arrested, and more than 300 weapons seized from his business, after he allegedly sold guns police say were used to shoot dead at least one Sydney underworld figure.
Shane Simpson was taken into custody after officers raided his firearms and hunting store - Simpson Sports, on the corner of Wentworth and Fitzwilliam streets - about 8.30am on Wednesday.
The Mercury understands police arrested the 46-year-old licensed firearms dealer... (GunPolicy.org)
Portugal Breaks Records in the Seizure of Weapons and Explosives in 2018
20 February 2019
Observador (Portugal)
PSP bate recordes na apreensão de armas e explosivos em 2018
De acordo com os dados da PSP, além da apreensão, o número de armas entregues voluntariamente em 2018 também aumentou. Armas de caça ocupam a maior parte das apreensões (40%).
Só em 2018, a Polícia de Segurança Pública (PSP) apreendeu 8.979 armas, mais 200% em relação aos números de 2014 e uma média de 25 armas apreendidas por dia. No caso das munições, os números aumentaram 23%, de 71.121... (GunPolicy.org)
Tasmanian Gun Dealer Charged With Gun Trafficking
4 December 2018
The Advocate
Police laid more than 80 firearms charges against a 58-year-old Ulverstone man on Tuesday.
In a release, police said a "lengthy criminal investigation" led to the charges being laid, along with a suspension of the man's firearms dealer's license and his personal firearms license.
He has been charged with 12 counts of unregistered firearm possession, 54 counts of a licensed firearms dealer failing to keep records in an approved form and four counts of possessing... (GunPolicy.org)
Destruction of Illicit Firearms in Costa Rica
18 July 2018
The Costa Rica Star
The General Directorate of Armaments in Costa Rica has destroyed 191 firearms this month, firearms which had been used in various crimes including homicide, robbery, drug trafficking, and illegal arms possession and sale. The Guns destroyed included 133 short weapons and 58 long weapons which have been in custody since 2012 and were previously used as evidence in criminal proceedings. They had been confiscated by the OIJ during raids throughout Costa Rica.
How many... (GunPolicy.org)
Thousands of Homemade Guns Collected by Vietnamese Authorities
5 July 2018
Thanh Nien
In recent years, Quang Nam has had many traumatic accidents, affecting the lives and health of its citizens due to homemade guns.
4 July 2018 - the Police Department of Public Administration (PC64) in Quang Nam province handed over a large amount of weapons and dangerous objects to the Department of Police - Technical Security of the province for destruction.
Included are: 1,139 alcohol/air guns, 272 homemade guns, 54 military guns, 63 knives, 289 parts and... (GunPolicy.org)
150,000 Illicit Guns in Circulation in Japan
20 April 2018
News Post7
…In fact, it is estimated that 150,000 guns, hundreds of times more than the amount seized, are in illegal circulation. In recent years, the crackdown has become stricter and this figure is still decreasing. A long time ago, it was said that 200,000 guns were in circulation. Most of the owners are... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia's Underground Gun Problem: Hundreds Seized
26 February 2018
Australian Associated Press
- 869 illegal guns have been seized by Queensland police ahead of the Games
- The majority of the guns had been stolen from licensed gun owners
- 440 charges have been laid as a result, including drug trafficking and theft
- In some cases thieves are breaking down walls of houses to get to gun safes
Almost 900 weapons have been seized in Queensland this month as police attempt to reduce the number of illegal firearms and related offences ahead of the Commonwealth... (GunPolicy.org)
Sudan Collects 30,000 Firearms in Darfur
25 December 2017
Dabanga (Sudan)
The disarmament campaign in North Darfur has not led to the planned results, according to the state's governor, although more than 170 militiamen affiliated with former janjaweed leader Musa Hilal have reportedly been arrested.
Talking to a Darfur local radio on Saturday, Governor Abdelwahid Yousif Ibrahim acknowledged the small number of the weapons collected so far.
He pointed to the spread of huge numbers of arms in North Darfur, and stressed that there is still a... (GunPolicy.org)
Craft Weapons Seized in Finland
26 November 2017
MTV Finland
[Editor's Note: Translated from Finnish to English by GunPolicy.org]
In the forensic laboratory of the National Bureau of Investigation, between 30-40 homemade weapons are investigated annually. However, the figure is not the whole truth, as some of the weapons can be studied directly by the police without the work of the laboratory.
"Making a firearm is not a very demanding job," says technical researcher Pauli Heiskanen from the forensic laboratory.
In practice,... (GunPolicy.org)
Illicit Indian Craft Firearms Smuggled to Bangladesh
4 November 2017
Daily Star (Dhaka)
In recent years, the country's northwestern border in Chapainawabganj has emerged as a major route for smuggling in arms. It has of late become militants' most preferred point for collecting illegal firearms and explosives. This is the route through which terror outfit "Neo JMB" smuggled in the guns and bombs used in last year's Gulshan café attack. With such chilling information surfacing, Shariful Islam visits the zero line area of Indo-Bangla border in the district... (GunPolicy.org)
US Virgin Islands Shows Registration-Confiscation Link
30 October 2017
NRA Publications (USA)
If there were ever a perfect example of the endgame of the gun-ban crowd and their ultimate weapon -- registration of firearm owners -- it comes with the order by the governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands to confiscate registered firearms from law-abiding citizens as a response to the impending devastation of Hurricane Irma.
Gov. Kenneth Mapp, in a toxic Sept. 4 order, proclaimed that the activated National Guard "is authorized and directed to seize arms,... (GunPolicy.org)
Illicit Firearm Trends in Sri Lanka
29 October 2017
Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)
Early last month, traffic policemen who became suspicious of a licence plate intercepted a hybrid vehicle in which the occupants had Chinese-made assault weapons.
By all indications, if not for the vigilance of the two traffic policemen and sheer luck, a violent crime could have been committed in Gampaha town in broad daylight.
In the incident on October 2, police recovered three T56 assault rifles. The vehicle had been travelling on the road near Gampaha Hospital... (GunPolicy.org)
Sudanese Government to Initiate Collection Campaign for Illegal Firearms
7 August 2017
Dabanga (Sudan)
This week, Second Vice-President Hasabo Abdelrahman will chair the first meeting with the five governors of Darfur about the disarmament campaign scheduled to start before the end of this year.
The Governor of North Darfur, Abdelwahid Yousif, said in a press statement on Sunday that Abdelrahman would arrive in El Fasher, capital of North Darfur, today, to discuss the state's plan for the collection of unlicensed arms with the governors of the five states of... (GunPolicy.org)
Firearm Smuggling on the Thai-Cambodian Border
20 June 2017
ASEAN Today
Cambodia's Defense Ministry may have blood on their hands. The Thai media have claimed they are directly involved in arms smuggling. The Thai media made the claims after Thai authorities found a weapons cache in a vehicle in the Trat province of Thailand. They assert that the weapons may be linked to Cambodian Defense Minister, Tea Banh.
The Cambodian Defense Ministry are investigating the issue. However, the recent spate of arrests suggests that the problem is not... (GunPolicy.org)
Seizure of Illicit Weapons Increases
24 May 2017
Iltalehti News
[Editor's note: Translated from Finnish to English by GunPolicy.org]
The number of firearms and supplies seized by the police has increased.
Last year, 5,384 (2016) firearms or weapons were seized by the police, compared to 3,675 (2015) in the previous... (GunPolicy.org)
BiH Destroys 2,315 pieces of SALW
3 May 2017
SEESAC Newsletter May 2017, Newsletter
The authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina destroyed 2,315 pieces of small arms and light weapons (SALW) and 3,344 of their parts and components on Saturday 29 April 2017, at Jelisingrad smelter in Banja Luka. More precisely, this activity funded by the European Union and supported by UNDP SEESAC and UNDP BiH, enabled the destruction of 996 long and 1319 short barrels.
The destroyed firearms and their components have been confiscated by police agencies of Bosnia and... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Craft Production in Bangladesh's Moheshkhali Region
7 January 2017
Dhaka Tribune
The market price of these weapons are quite low, therefore the demand is high among local criminals in Moheshkhali. Apart from being used by local criminals, they are also transferred to other districts around the country evading law enforcers.
On January 4, RAB 7 members traced some weapons to a factory in Cox's Bazar. After raiding the factory, 22 firearms and 22 rounds of bullets were seized along with 33 other equipments used for manufacturing weapons. The... (GunPolicy.org)
2,300 Guns Seized This Year in Honduras [ES]
25 November 2016
La Prensa (Honduras)
[Translated summary: 2,300 guns were seized since the beginning of 2016 in Honduras. Most illegal firearms belong to gangs, including AK47 and AR15 rifles. The majority of homicides are committed with pistols and rifles.]
San Pedro Sula -- El tráfico y uso de armas ilegales es uno de los delitos que más afecta al país, la mayoría de homicidios son cometidos con pistolas y fusiles de guerra.
El mayor número de armas ilícitas están en manos de grupos criminales... (GunPolicy.org)
24,000 Guns Seized in Tamaulipas, Mexico Since 2011 [ES]
23 November 2016
Expreso (Mexico)
[Translated summary: The Mexican Army has seized 24,000 firearms in the state of Tamaulipas since January 2011, most of them in an operation that involved civilians with pistols, semi-automatic guns and assault weapons. In the same period, 2,871 guns were destroyed and 10,611 new firearms were registered.]
CIUDAD VICTORIA -- El Ejército ha asegurado 24 mil armas de fuego en Tamaulipas de enero de 2011 a octubre de este año, la mayoría en operativos que involucraban... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Find '3D-Printed Submachine Gun' Factory in Australia
23 November 2016
Guardian, Australian Associated Press
A highly sophisticated weapons production facility using 3D printers and computers to make machine guns has been uncovered in a series of raids across the Gold Coast.
Police say they found four homemade automatic submachine guns, silencers, ammunition, a replica handgun, a .45 calibre pistol and equipment used to make weapons at two Nerang businesses, as well as a pill press.
The equipment used to make the weapons included computers, a 3D printer, drill presses and... (GunPolicy.org)
Traffickers Flood Mexico with Easily Bought American Guns [ES]
22 November 2016
Vice News (US)
[Translated summary: Although Mexico has some of the strictest gun legislation in the world, with only one shop where guns can be bought legally, there are more than 15 million guns in circulation and 85% are illegal. One of the main reasons is the proximity of the USA, where guns are easily available. Almost 100,000 Mexicans died of gun wounds in the last decade.]
Es casi la media noche del 11 de octubre y la policía recibe una llamada de emergencia alertando de una... (GunPolicy.org)
Florida Airport Screeners Report Seized, Loaded Guns Up 55%
22 November 2016
ABC News (USA)
TAMPA -- Security screeners at Tampa International Airport are seeing record numbers of deadly weapons and guns coming through. It's a growing problem for them and you when it comes to wait times in lines.
"We're number one in the state for the number of deadly dangerous items that were finding" says TSA's Federal Security Director Lee Kair.
Kair tells us some items are obvious weapons, but some are hard to spot, like lipstick that's really a knife, or credit card... (GunPolicy.org)
Uganda Destroys 6,000 Illegal Guns
21 November 2016
K FM (Uganda)
In an effort to reduce the amount of illicit arms, the government has today destroyed 6000 small arms and weapons collected by police in a nationwide exercise.
In his speech during the exercise in Bukasa, Wakiso District, the state minister for internal affairs Mario Obigo Kania said such arms pose a major security threat if poorly managed and stored.
He also added that improving human security shouldn't be a responsibility of only the security agencies but also... (GunPolicy.org)
Over Two Thousand Firearms Destroyed in El Salvador [ES]
18 November 2016
El Mundo (El Salvador), EFE News Agency
[Translated Summary: El Salvador's Ministry of Defence destroyed 2,864 seized firearms. They also destroyed another cache of firearms that were not claimed by their owners after seizure, and others used in crimes. Among the destroyed firearms were 1,386 handguns, 333 long guns and 156 home-made firearms. Between January and September, 2016, 80% of homicides were committed using a firearm and 1,987 guns were seized.]
El Ministerio de la Defensa destruyó 2,864 armas de... (GunPolicy.org)
Social Media Used for Gun Sales, Trafficking in Venezuela [ES]
18 November 2016
Entorno Inteligente
[Translated summary: Venezuelans now use social media like Whatsapp, BBM, Snapchat and Instagram to illegally buy and sell guns. A Beretta 92FS pistol can be purchased for 2.7 million Venezuelan bolivars (270,000 USD). Official data from 2012 calculates that the country has between 1.2 and 1.5 million unregistered guns. Until March, 2016, only 48,000 firearms had been destroyed.]
Los índices de violencia y criminalidad siguen en un preocupante ascenso. Para completar... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Stash Seized from Anti-State Extremists in Germany
18 November 2016
Local (Germany)
Police in Wuppertal on Thursday showed off the massive arsenal of two so-called Reichsbürger - people who don't recognize the legitimacy of the German state.
The pair's stash included 12 rifles - some of which had magnifying scopes - nine pistols, three air-pressure guns and one semi-automatic firearm. Police also discovered more than 20,000 rounds of ammunition.
The two Reichsbürger, aged 40 and 57, had weapons permits as marksmen, but authorities had decided to... (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)
Australian Man Charged With Smuggling Handgun Parts by Mail
17 November 2016
Sydney Morning Herald
A Mildura man has been charged with importing handgun parts in the mail.
Australian Border Force officers intercepted seven packages from the US and Hong Kong addressed to 34-year-old Hanh Truong between November 6 to November 9.
The packages were labelled as toys or model parts, but X-rays at the Australia Post gateway facility in Tullamarine revealed they actually contained firearm parts and handgun frames, a Border Force spokesman said.
Border Force and police... (GunPolicy.org)
Serbian Police Seize Biggest Illegal Gun Cache in 15 Years [ES]
16 November 2016
Europa Press (Spain)
[Translated summary: Serbian Police seized an arms arsenal that included hand grenades, explosives, rocket launchers, antitank grenades, assault rifles, a machine gun, semi-automatic rifles and ammunition; the greatest stash in 15 years. Police worry about Serbian firearms ending up in terrorist attacks in European capitals.]
La Policía serbia se ha incautado de un arsenal de armas que incluye más de 100 granadas de mano y 30 kilos de explosivos, según ha informado... (GunPolicy.org)
Report Sheds Light on the Origin of Guns in the Sahel [FR]
16 November 2016
Libération (France)
[Translated summary: Conflict Armament Research has published a report about gun transfers in the Sahel region in which they analyse stocks of firearms and ammunition seized from traffickers and combatants. They concluded that Libya is no longer the main source of illegal firearms; Côte d'Ivoire and Sudan have the biggest stocks of guns in the region, but Chinese and Russian firearms are also common.]
Une enquête minutieuse du Conflict Armement Research apporte un... (GunPolicy.org)
Serbia Makes its Biggest Gun Seizure in 16 Years
16 November 2016
BBC News
Ten people have been arrested in Serbia for arms-trafficking, police say, after the country's largest weapons haul in 16 years.
Rocket launchers, anti-tank mines and automatic guns were among the weapons seized in northern Serbia, close to the Croatian border.
A police video shows officers arresting suspects amid piles of weapons.
Hand grenades, rifles, pistols, bullets, night-vision equipment and various explosives were also seized.
Interior Minister Nebojsa... (GunPolicy.org)
Algeria Seizes Many Guns at Tunisian and Libyan Borders [FR]
16 November 2016
Réalités (Tunisia)
[Translated summary: Algerian Customs have seized a large number of firearms at the borders with Tunisia and Libya. The guns are very sophisticated and equipped with new technologies. They belong to trafficking networks and terrorists from Libya, where there are 20,000 illegal firearms in circulation.]
Les services de la Douane algérienne ont intensifié récemment leur présence au niveau des frontières avec le Maroc et la Tunisie et ce en ayant recours à d'autres... (GunPolicy.org)
Record Seizure in Serbia, Source of Illegal Guns to Europe [FR]
16 November 2016
Le Parisien (France)
[Translated summary: Serbian police seized a record quantity of firearms, ammunition and explosives. Among the firearms were automatic and semi-automatic rifles, a machine gun, pistols and carbines. The Interior Minister expressed his concern at illegal firearms entering European capitals. Firearms from the Balkans are often found in the hands of Jihadist terrorists.]
C'est la plus importante saisie d'armes depuis le début du XXIe siècle en Serbie. La police locale a... (GunPolicy.org)
France,Serbia,Bosnia & Herzegovina
Balkan Countries Struggle to Control Gun Trafficking, Smugglers
16 November 2016
World Bulletin (Turkey)
A year after rebel fighters used weapons manufactured in Serbia to gun down victims in Paris, Balkan countries are struggling to end the scourge of illegal arms trafficking.
The killers who opened fire at the Bataclan theatre, cafes and restaurants in the French capital last November used Yugoslav-era assault rifles produced by Serbia's Zastava Arms.
Months earlier the Kouachi brothers, behind the deadly assault on the Charlie Hebdo magazine offices, carried a rocket... (GunPolicy.org)
5,250 Illegal Firearms Destroyed in Kenya [FR]
15 November 2016
Africa News
[Translated summary: Kenya has burned 5,250 firearms as part of a campaign to fight poaching and robberies and to eliminate terrorism. The destroyed firearms were seized in police operations or recovered in disarmament exercises. Citizens have also been urged to register their firearms.]
Le vice-président kenyan, William Ruto, a incité ce mardi les autorités à brûler 5.250 armes légères.
Ceci s'inscrit dans le cadre des efforts déployés pour lutter contre... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Gun Seizures Rise Amid Ongoing Insecurity in Honduras
15 November 2016
InSight Crime (Bogotá)
Honduran officials say seizures of illegal firearms at border checkpoints are increasing rapidly, as the market for millions of illegal firearms continues to grow and fuel violence in the Central American country.
According to Honduras' National Anti-Evasion Force (Fuerza Nacional Antievasión - FNA), customs officers in Honduras are seizing an average of 35 to 40 firearms and ammunition shipments per month.
Officers are interdicting shipments from Mexico, the United... (GunPolicy.org)
Kenya Destroys 5,250 Seized Guns to Slow Armed Violence
15 November 2016
Washington Post, Associated Press
NAIROBI — Kenya's deputy president on Tuesday set ablaze more than 5,250 firearms seized by authorities to discourage the circulation of illegal weapons in a country battling extremist violence.
Deputy President William Ruto presided over the burning of rifles and pistols in three stacks about 15 feet high. They were recovered in this East African country over the past nine years, Ruto said.
Most of the firearms were collected through voluntary surrender, others... (GunPolicy.org)
Increasing Firearm Smuggling in Bangladesh
13 November 2016
Dhaka Tribune
There are at least 119 points on the border which are being used to smuggle these firearms in, according to sources in intelligence agencies.
Officials say the majority of the arms shipments is entering the country via the border points in Chapainawabganj, Benapole, Satkhira, Comilla and Brahmanbaria districts.
The firearms which are being used in all kinds of scenarios – from trivial arguments to militant attacks, sources said.
According to Border Guard... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Smuggling from India Increases in Bangladesh
13 November 2016
Dhaka Tribune (Bangladesh)
Use of illegal firearms has increased alarmingly in the country as a group of organised smugglers are bringing them into the country taking advantage of weak border security, according to sources in law enforcement agencies
There are at least 119 points on the border which are being used to smuggle these firearms in, according to sources in intelligence agencies.
Officials say the majority of the arms shipments is entering the country via the border points in... (GunPolicy.org)
Honduras,United States,South America
Firearm Trafficking Soaring in Honduras - Customs [ES]
11 November 2016
La Tribuna (Honduras)
[Translated summary: Every month, Honduran customs seize an average of 35 to 40 firearms of US and South America origin. Among the seized arms are pistols, shotguns, hunting rifles and ammunition. Police say the increase in crime is the reason Hondurans want to arm themselves, and trafficked guns cost one fifth of legal guns.]
Un promedio de 35 a 40 armas de fuego o municiones provenientes de Estados Unidos y de Suramérica decomisan al mes funcionarios de Aduanas de... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns Used in 40% of Homicides in Ecuador [ES]
9 November 2016
Ecuavisa (Ecuador)
[Translated summary: According to official data, over 40% (376) of the total homicides in Ecuador during 2016 were committed with firearms. The most common guns criminals use are homemade; Police explain that they are easy to acquire and low cost.]
El uso de armas de fuego es la principal causa de los homicidios cometidos en Ecuador. Según cifras de la Dirección Nacional de Delitos contra la Vida y Muertes Violentas (Dinased), durante este año en el territorio... (GunPolicy.org)
Bengal is Becoming Hub of Illegal Handguns and Ammunition
6 November 2016
Economic Times (India)
Meandering roads lead to chaotic lanes. Then the roads vanish, as do the lanes. What remains are muddled passages between cluttered households. Most of these lead to deadends and the rest, chock-ablock with not-so-friendly-looking people, are almost unapproachable. Unlike in most neighbourhoods, locals here don't guide visitors to addresses. Most of the queries go unanswered and are at best met with a reluctant nod. These inimical streets of Kankuli village in the... (GunPolicy.org)
New Legal Guns in Tasmania Jumped from 57 to 1500 in 2016
5 November 2016
Mercury (Tasmania)
Almost 1500 extra firearms have come into Tasmania over the past year — a massive jump from the previous 12 months when there were just 57.
It comes as police figures show some owners are stockpiling firearms across the state.
Anti-gun activists say the figures are alarming but firearm owners say there is nothing to fear.
About 100 individuals, excluding collectors or dealers, possess arsenals of 20 or more firearms, according to the data.
The largest registered... (GunPolicy.org)
Shooting Clubs Show 38% Membership Growth in France [FR]
4 November 2016
BFMTV (France)
[Translated summary: Amid fear of terrorist attacks in France, membership of shooting clubs jumped from 145,365 to 201,450 between 2011 and 2016, an increase of 38%. Firearm seizures also increased: there were 5,000 in 2014, 6,000 in 2015 and 5,000 so far this year. Nowadays, France has 4.4 million declared guns, and, depending on the source, between 1 and 8 million illegal firearms.]
D'après une enquête de L'Obs, de plus en plus de Français se dotent d'armes à... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Dominican Republic
Many More American Guns Seized in Dominican Republic [ES]
4 November 2016
Acento (Dominican Republic)
[Translated summary: 115 firearms, 57,000 rounds of ammunition and military equipment of American origin were seized in the Dominican Republic in the last two months. Among the firearms were pistols, rifles, pellet guns, shotguns, revolvers and one automatic machine gun.]
SANTO DOMINGO -- Los esfuerzos de las autoridades de Estados Unidos por frenar el tráfico ilegal de armas de fuego y municiones desde su territorio hacia la República Dominicana hasta el momento han... (GunPolicy.org)
More Guns: 1.1 Million Legal, Illegal Firearms in Uruguay [ES]
4 November 2016
Terra (Argentina)
[Translated summary: The Legal and Social Studies Institute of Uruguay explains that in 2007, Uruguay issued 5 or 6 licences for firearms everyday. In 2012, that daily average increased to 15. The Institute calculates that there 1.1 million firearms in the country, legal and illegal.]
El instituto de Estudios Legales y Sociales del Uruguay (Ielsur) se mostró preocupado por el "alto incremento" en los últimos años de la emisión de permisos para portar armas,... (GunPolicy.org)
Guyana President Aims to Curb Both Legal and Illegal Guns
3 November 2016
Demerara Waves (Guyana)
President David Granger on Wednesday said he wants the number of illegal and legal guns to be drastically reduced, leaving firearms mainly in the hands of police and soldiers.
"The Minister of Public Security and I are reducing the frequency or the ease or controlling the ease with which some people can get weapons," he said on this week's edition of the television programme, "Public Interest."
The President said a corps of wardens, with law enforcement powers, would... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Control Groups Aiming Their Money at State Ballots
2 November 2016
NPR (USA)
Gun control has been a minor theme of this year's presidential election, as Hillary Clinton promises to close "loopholes" in the background checks for gun purchasers, and Donald Trump pledges "unwavering support" for the Second Amendment.
The real battle over guns, though, has been waged at the state level this year — with a new emphasis on ballot initiatives.
Washington is a prime example. Like many western states, it has a tradition of permissive gun laws; there's... (GunPolicy.org)
Ecuador Police Deliver 25,487 Guns to Army for Destruction [ES]
1 November 2016
Entorno Inteligente (Venezuela)
[Translated summary: Ecuador's National Police delivered 25,487 firearms that were seized during police operations to the Armed Forces for destruction. Among them there are pistols, revolvers and military equipment. Authorities claimed that there were only 53 violent deaths in October 2016, while the same month in 2015 had 90.]
Durante este año, la Policía Nacional ha entregado a las Fuerzas Armadas (FF.AA.) un total de 25 487 armas de fuego incautadas durante... (GunPolicy.org)
Paraguay Stores Thousands of Smuggled, Seized Guns [ES]
1 November 2016
La Nación (Paraguay)
[Translated summary: In the warehouse of Paraguay's War Material Direction (Dimabel) there are 10,000 seized firearms. Around 50% are revolvers and pistols and the rest are shotguns and machine guns that can pierce armored vehicles. Authorities explain that illicit firearms come from the US disassembled, are re-assembled in the country and then sold at the border.]
Una ametralladora capaz de perforar camiones blindados, así como escopetas y pistolas, son algunos de... (GunPolicy.org)
Cambodian Authorities Collect Illicit Craft Weapons
31 October 2016
Khmer Times
In an effort to improve security and public order in Prey Veng province, police on Saturday managed to convince many local residents to hand in their homemade guns, according to the National Police website.
Lieutenant Colonel Soun Sam Oeun, the Kampong Trabek district police chief, told Khmer Times that police spoke with residents throughout the district about illegal gun possession, saying the guns often malfunctioned and injured or killed their owners. Those who... (GunPolicy.org)
Panama Destroyed 2,226 Firearms in 2016 [ES]
31 October 2016
Noticias Terra (Argentina)
[Translated summary: Authorities in Panama have destroyed 2,226 firearms so far this year. The guns were seized during police operations or obtained in buyback programs. Among the firearms were pistols, revolvers, shotguns, rifles, sub machine guns, carbines, pellet and homemade guns.]
Las autoridades panameñas han destruido un total de 2.226 armas de fuego en lo que va de año, que han sido decomisadas mediante requisas, hallazgos e intercambios por comida, informó... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns-and-Terrorism Links Worry British Police, Crime Authority
31 October 2016
East Lothian Courier (UK), Press Association (UK)
Half the foiled terror plots in the UK in the past two years involved a plan to buy guns, police have said, amid a surge in the number of weapons found in major British cities.
Concerns about firearms falling into terrorist hands are running high after a record level of gun seizures in London and similar spikes in Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds and Liverpool.
Authorities fear that links between street gangs and terrorists could give extremists access to weapons and... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: East Lothian Courier (UK), Press Association (UK)
1,868 Firearms Destroyed in Venezuela [ES]
31 October 2016
El Nacional (Venezuela)
[Translated Summary: Venezuela's Public Ministry supervised the destruction of 1,868 firearms in Caracas. The cache of firearms had been seized in 11 states nationwide by the police since July this year.]
El Ministerio Público, a través de la Fiscalía Superior del Área Metropolitana de Caracas (AMC), supervisó este lunes 31 de octubre el acto de destrucción de 1.868 armas de fuego, las cuales fueron incautadas en 11 estados del país en el segundo semestre del... (GunPolicy.org)
11 Million Illegal Guns in Mexico, Only 234,738 Seized [ES]
31 October 2016
Milenio (Mexico)
[Translated summary: 234,738 firearms were seized in Mexico in 18 years. In the same time there were 111,453 gun homicides. A report by the Chamber of Deputies estimates that there are 11 million illegal firearms in the country, most of them trafficked from the US, while between 2.8 and 4 million firearms are legally owned.]
Desde la administración de Vicente Fox y hasta el gobierno de Enrique Peña Nieto han sido decomisadas 234 mil 738 armas de diferente calibre en... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Destroy 1,036 Seized Firearms in Panama [ES]
31 October 2016
La Prensa (Panama)
[Translated summary: Authorities from Panama destroyed 1,036 firearms of different calibres on October 31. The general director of the National Police said that these guns were seized in different police operations to dismantle gangs, or because they were illegally owned by civilians.]
Las autoridades panameñas procedieron este lunes 31 de octubre con la destrucción de mil 36 armas de diverso calibre.
El director general de la Policía Nacional, Omar Pinzón, dijo... (GunPolicy.org)
South African Police Destroy 23,000 Illegal Firearms [ES]
29 October 2016
Prensa Latina (Havana)
[Translated summary: Around 23,000 seized, illegal firearms have been destroyed by South African police. It is estimated that 9,200 of these guns were related to crime. Each day, an average of 18 people die by gunshot in South Africa. The minimum age to own a firearm is 21. The number of guns per person is limited and a firearm licence must be periodically renewed.]
Pretoria -- Unas 23 mil armas de fuego ilegales confiscadas por la Policía sudafricana fueron... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Seized 250 Guns During a Single Raid in Cape Town
28 October 2016
IOL (South Africa)
Tshwane - The South African Police Service on Friday seized over 250 firearms, ammunition and an undisclosed amount of money at a premises in Valhalla Park, Cape Town, acting National Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Khomotso Phahlane said.
Addressing media in Pretoria on Friday evening, Phahlane said crime scene experts were still at the area, and processing the seized items.
"We would like to congratulate the Western Cape police who, during an intelligence-led... (GunPolicy.org)
NY Police Destroy Thousands of Crime Guns: NRA Protest [ES]
26 October 2016
El Diario (US)
[Translated summary: The New York Police Department announced a plan to melt and recycle thousands of firearms seized from crime. Chief of Department Carlos Gomez says that each gun represents a potential victim. In 2015, they destroyed around 7,000. The NRA protested, arguing that seized firearms should be resold on the legal market and that police could use the money for new equipment.]
Este miércoles el comisionado del Departamento de Policía de Nueva York... (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)
NYPD Has Seized 15,000 Crime Guns in New York Since 2013
26 October 2016
New York Post
This mountain of nearly 2,000 guns was amassed by the NYPD during a collection of street stops, gang takedowns, search warrants and other forms of old-fashioned police work.
The heaving pile of pistols, rifles and shotguns that cops showed off Wednesday at One Police Plaza represents just a fraction of the approximately 15,500 firearms seized or confiscated since 2013.
"To my left is obviously a lot of guns," Police Commissioner James O'Neill said at a press... (GunPolicy.org)
Panama Police Have Seized 1,387 Guns Since January [ES]
26 October 2016
Panamá America (Panama)
[Translated Summary: From January to October, Panama's National Police seized 1,387 firearms and 18,692 rounds of ammunition. In this cache were 15 sub-machine guns, 60 shotguns, 49 automatic rifles, 448 handguns, 347 revolvers, 37 rifles and 57 other firearms (pellet and home-made).]
De enero a octubre la Policía Nacional ha decomisado unas mil 387 armas de fuego y 18 mil 692 municiones de diversos calibres.
El informe de la Policía destaca que entre las armas de... (GunPolicy.org)
FBI Helps Dominican Republic to Fight Gun Trafficking [ES]
25 October 2016
CDN (Dominican Republic)
[Translated summary: US authorities are helping the Dominican Republic with illegal firearms trafficking investigations, allowing the country to access FBI information. The last shipments of firearms seized in DR consisted of weapons of war, rifles, pistols, revolvers, ammunition, military equipment, bullet making machinery and a grenade. The guns were found in food boxes sent from the US.]
SANTO DOMINGO -- El Buró Federal de Investigaciones de Estados Unidos (FBI por... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Raid Illegal Gun Makers in Moscow, 24 Russian Regions
25 October 2016
Tass (Russia)
MOSCOW -- Operatives of the Russian Interior Ministry's Main Criminal Investigation Department have liquidated a workshop of illegal arms producers in southwest Moscow, the ministry's press office told TASS on Tuesday.
"Operatives of the Russian Interior Ministry's Main Criminal Investigation Department and the Federal Security Service have carried out searches in Moscow and the Moscow Region at the places of residence of four lawbreakers to find and seize 22 pistols... (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)
Mexico Seized 152,528 Guns from Drug Gangs in 10 Years [ES]
24 October 2016
Crónica (Mexico)
[Translated summary: Most of the 152,528 guns the Mexican army has confiscated from drug dealers are high-calibre weapons. Among them there are machine guns, rifles, shotguns, almost 60,000 handguns and over 19,000 AK-47 pattern rifles. They also found rocket launchers and mortars.]
La mayoría de las armas que el Ejército mexicano ha asegurado en flagrancia y en operativos a los grupos criminales en diez años de lucha contra el narcotráfico es de grueso calibre;... (GunPolicy.org)
Namibia: 812 Illegal Firearms Surrendered in Gun Amnesty
24 October 2016
Namibian (Windhoek)
More than 660 firearms were surrendered in the Khomas region as part of the firearms and ammunition amnesty declared at the end of August this year.
The amnesty ends on 18 November.
Omusati is second on the list with 31 firearms surrendered, while //Karas where 29 firearms were surrendered, is third; and Otjozondjupa with 27 is fourth.
At the top of the surrendered ammunition is Otjozondjupa with 4 386; followed by Oshikoto with 2 790, and Ohangwena with 2 022.
Ten... (GunPolicy.org)
2,000 Gun Homicides in Honduras in First Half of 2016 [ES]
23 October 2016
La Prensa (Honduras)
[Translated summary: In Honduras, 2,000 people were murdered with firearms in the first six months of the year, a number that represents 75% of total homicides in the country. Police explain that they are constantly combating crime and illegal gun trafficking and that they have seized a great number of AK-47 and AR-15-pattern rifles.]
San Pedro Sula -- Casi a diario las autoridades policiales y militares capturan personas por el delito de portación ilegal de armas,... (GunPolicy.org)
Wanted Criminals Arrested, Arms Seized in Pakistan
22 October 2016
Business Recorder (Pakistan)
Police on Friday claimed that they have arrested 115 wanted criminals and recovered huge cache of arms and ammunition from their oppression during ongoing strike and search operations against anti-social elements in various areas of district Mardan.
Addressing a news conference in district Mardan, superintendent police (SP)- Operation, Shafiullah Khan Gandapoor said that on the special directives of district police officer (DPO) Fasial Shahzad, several crackdown team... (GunPolicy.org)
Guyanese Concerned About Gun Crimes Despite 21% Decline
21 October 2016
Demerara Waves (Guyana)
Former Chief-of-Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Retired Brigadier Mark Phillips Friday said although the official police statistics show a decline in serious crimes, the feeling of insecurity among Guyanese is very high makes it necessary for collaboration among several stakeholders.
"Notwithstanding the statistics that speak to a reduction in crime -- and here I am not hitting at the police force -- it is my firm belief, as a citizen of Guyana, that the high... (GunPolicy.org)
South Africa Police Destroy Another 23,000 Firearms [FR]
21 October 2016
La Revue de l'Afrique
[Translated summary: South African police have destroyed 22,999 firearms, most of them seized from criminals. 3,156 were police guns that were no longer operational. Among them were revolvers, pistols, hunting rifles and assault rifles. Police are sure that destruction will contribute to the security of the country, which sees an average of 16 gun deaths each day.]
La police sud-africaine a conduit hier une opération médiatisée de destruction massive d'armes à feu.... (GunPolicy.org)
US Dilemma: Destroy or Recirculate Guns Seized in Crime?
17 October 2016
WFMY News
GREENSBORO -- Some police departments across the state are facing a gun dilemma and it's not what you might think.
The recent uptick in violent crimes and more aggressive police initiatives to curb it, means some, like the Greensboro Police Department, are taking a lot of guns off the streets.
But a state law is presenting a dilemma where some of those departments can't decide what to do with the guns once a case is over and they no longer need the gun for... (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)
One Great Way to Reduce Gun Violence? A Whole Lot of Data
15 October 2016
Wired (San Francisco)
At their core, data tell stories. They reveal patterns, show changes over time, and confirm or challenge our theories. And in cities across the country, mayors, police chiefs, and other local leaders are turning to data to help them understand and address gun violence, one of the most persistent crises they face.
Innovative, data-driven programs are showing encouraging results. To keep high school students on the right track, the city of Chicago scaled up a... (GunPolicy.org)
DIY Submachine Guns Are Popping Up Across the West Bank
14 October 2016
Washington Post
AZZUN — In the predawn hours, 150 Israeli troops, including masked special forces operatives, arrived in this Palestinian town in armored personnel carriers and hardened jeeps to hunt for guns and gun makers. They found one of each. The operation was deemed a success.
The raid in Azzun is part of an aggressive campaign by Israel to rid the occupied West Bank of guns — specifically a crude kind of do-it-yourself, handmade submachine gun known on the Palestinian... (GunPolicy.org)
Papua New Guinea Seizes Undeclared Guns Intended for Police
13 October 2016
Pacific Islands Report
PORT MORESBY – Chief Secretary Isaac Lupari, pictured, says a shipment of police firearms sent from South Korea to Port Moresby was impounded in Lae by Customs because they were not properly declared.
Lupari, the National Security Advisory Council chairman, was commenting yesterday on the 280 semi-automatic guns seized by Customs in Lae and locked up at the Defence Force's Igam Barracks.
"Those were ordered by police through the private sector," Lupari told The... (GunPolicy.org)
Spain,United States,Greece,Italy,Turkey,France,Syria
Europol Dismantles Spain/Syria/Libya Gun Trafficking Network
11 October 2016
EFE News Agency
A huge haul of arms and drugs was seized from a trafficking network run by Syrian nationals, Spain's police said Tuesday.
A total of 109 people were arrested and 100 tons of hashish, 11,400 firearms, over a million ammunition rounds and 10 tons of explosives were seized in an international operation against a trafficking network that sold drugs to arm jihadist groups in countries like Libya.
The joint operation was carried out by security forces from Spain, Italy,... (GunPolicy.org)
South Korea: Surge in Gun Smuggling Worries Politician
10 October 2016
Yonhap News Agency (South Korea)
SEOUL -- A lawmaker from the ruling Saenuri Party said Monday the customs office detected 246 attempts to smuggle guns and related items into the country though August this year, adding South Korea can no longer be considered safe from firearms.
According to the data compiled by Rep. Park Myung-jae, the Korea Customs Office caught seven shipments of fully functioning guns, as well as 171 other imitation firearms, which could potentially be used for crimes this... (GunPolicy.org)
Chile: 14,000 Fireams Destroyed, Gun Crime Down [ES]
6 October 2016
20 Minutos (USA)
[Translated summary: In recent times 14,000 seized or voluntarily surrendered firearms have been destroyed in Chile. This year, police received a total of 5,264 firearms in an amnesty campaign. Crimes with firearms have reduced 9.3% in relation to 2015.]
Un gigantesco horno que ardía a miles de grados centígrados fundió el jueves 14.000 armas decomisadas por las policías o entregadas voluntariamente por sus dueños, en la destrucción masiva de armamento más... (GunPolicy.org)
Haiti Police Seize Nearly 100 New Guns Destined for Jamaica
6 October 2016
Jamaica Gleaner
An arsenal of close to 100 brand-new high-powered firearms and hundreds of assorted ammunition were confiscated by the police in Haiti just over a week ago, and Jamaican law-enforcement authorities have indicated that several of them were destined for Jamaica's criminal underworld.
In a photograph obtained exclusively by The Gleaner, Haitian police and military personnel were seen inspecting several of the weapons, which included automatic rifles and... (GunPolicy.org)
Cache of NATO Assault Rifles, Machineguns Seized in Pakistan
5 October 2016
Dawn (Karachi)
A huge cache of Nato weapons and ammunition was recovered by police on Wednesday during a raid on an empty house in the Azizabad area of the metropolis.
Police reportedly seized a large number of weapons including anti-aircraft guns, SMGs, LMGs, sniper rifles, hand grenades and rocket launchers hidden in the water tank of the empty house.
Bulletproof jackets and helmets were also recovered during the raid by police, DawnNews reported.
The raid was conducted after the... (GunPolicy.org)
How UN Arms Embargoes in African Countries Can Be Effective
4 October 2016
Institute for Security Studies (Africa)
Arms embargoes are the most common type of sanction currently applied by the United Nations (UN), and one of the five main types of targeted or smart sanctions (others are diplomatic sanctions, travel bans, asset freezes and commodity interdiction).
The key aim of smart sanctions is to raise the regime's costs of non-compliance (with the sanctions) without bringing about the wider suffering often associated with comprehensive sanctions, such as trade bans.
How... (GunPolicy.org)
Honduras: 2,038 Firearms Seized for Destruction This Year [ES]
4 October 2016
La Tribuna (Honduras)
[Translated summary: So far this year authorities in Honduras have seized 2,038 firearms, such as rifles (M-16, FAL, R-15, and AK-47 ), UZI machine guns and handguns of different calibres, from commercial and prohibited use. One of the rifles most used by criminal bands is the AK-47.]
Las autoridades de Honduras se han incautado en lo que va del presente año de unas 2.038 armas de fuego como fusiles, ametralladoras UZI y pistolas de diverso calibre, entre otras,... (GunPolicy.org)
2,075 Firearms Seized by Police in El Salvador This Year [ES]
4 October 2016
El Mundo (El Salvador)
[Translated Summary: El Salvador Police have seized 2,705 firearms in 2016. In this cache, there were 318 rifles (AK-47 and G3), 279 shotguns, 1,872 handguns and one M 60 machine gun. 474 of them were seized from gangs during police operations. There has been an increase of 77% in the seizure of firearms in relation to last year.]
La Policía Nacional Civil (PNC) ha incautado 2,705 armas de fuego en el 2016, de las cuales 318 son fusiles AK 47, M16, G-3 y de otros... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 900 Firearms Seized in Panama So Far This Year [ES]
3 October 2016
Crítica (Panama)
[Translated summary: Panama's National Police seized 916 firearms and 16,714 pieces of ammunition so far this year. Among the firearms there are pistols, revolvers, shotguns, rifles, pellet guns, sub-machine guns and homemade guns.]
La Policía Nacional y el Ministerio Público (MP) de Panamá decomisaron un total de 916 armas de fuego y 16.714 municiones de diverso calibre en lo que va del año, indicó hoy una fuente oficial.
Entre las armas recuperadas y sacadas de... (GunPolicy.org)
Most of the Seized Firearms in Mexico Come From US [ES]
2 October 2016
La Opinión (USA), EFE News Agency
[Translated Summary: Firearms can easily enter Mexico and be smuggled to Central America; there aren't any control measures on the borders. According to a federal report, by the 31st of July, 2014, 8,540 rifles had been seized and over 70% of these came from the US.]
La llegada de armas de fuego y de dinero negro son dos grandes peligros provenientes de Estados Unidos que impactan a México, fortaleciendo los cárteles de la región y su estela de violencia, y probando... (GunPolicy.org)
German Police Seize Record 2,000 Weapons from Neo-Nazis [DE]
30 September 2016
Zeit Online (Germany)
[Translated summary: In Germany, the Federal Criminal Police confiscated almost 2,000 weapons from Neo-nazis in 2015, the highest number since the start of statistics in 2008. Particularly concerning was the number of explosive devices found, as explosives were used in attacks on refugee shelters.]
Fast 2.000 Waffen beschlagnahmten Polizisten laut "Focus" bei Neonazis, ein Höchstwert in der Statistik. Besonders besorgniserregend: die vielen... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico Customs Reports 276% Increase in Gun Seizures [ES]
30 September 2016
Noticieros Televisa (Mexico)
[Translated summary: The General Director of Mexico's Customs revealed that there was an increase of 276% in firearms seizures compared to last year. Drug seizures also augmented 283%. He also declared that 200 employees resigned or were fired in relation to this.]
CIUDAD DE MÉXICO -- Derivado de mayores alertas y modelos de riesgo, el decomiso de armas y drogas en las aduanas de México aumentó más de 250 por ciento, reveló el director general de Aduanas, Ricardo... (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)
Increased Gun Smuggling in the UK
28 September 2016
Guardian
More guns are being seized in cities across Britain as the number of firearms being smuggled into the country increases, Britain's most senior police officer has said.
Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Metropolitan police commissioner, told a hearing at London's City Hall that a rise in gun crime in the capital was being put down to an increase in the number of weapons coming into the country.
The Met seized a "worrying" record number of weapons in 2015, including... (GunPolicy.org)
Since 2003, Venezuela Has Destroyed Over 423,000 Guns [ES]
28 September 2016
Sputnik Mundo (Russia)
[Translated Summary: Over the last 13 years, Venezuela's Government has destroyed 423,000 firearms collected via national security programs. In the last operation, 1,308 firearms were disabled in the context of the "A Toda Vida" social program which aims to reduce the high crime rates in the country.]
CARACAS — El Gobierno de Venezuela inutilizó 1.308 armas de fuego en el estado Anzoátegui (norte), como parte del programa social "A Toda Vida", que busca reducir el... (GunPolicy.org)
Record Number of Smuggled, Seized Guns 'Worrying' - UK Police
28 September 2016
Guardian
More guns are being seized in cities across Britain as the number of firearms being smuggled into the country increases, Britain's most senior police officer has said.
Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Metropolitan police commissioner, told a hearing at London's City Hall that a rise in gun crime in the capital was being put down to an increase in the number of weapons coming into the country.
The Met seized a "worrying" record number of weapons in 2015, including... (GunPolicy.org)
Costa Rica Police Seized 1,340 Firearms So Far this Year [ES]
28 September 2016
Teletica (Costa Rica)
[Translated summary: 1,340 illegal firearms were seized by Costa Rica police so far this year, or five guns each day. San José is the province where most of these seizures occurred. The guns are sent to the Security Ministry to be destroyed. Last year, 1,712 firearms were confiscated, most of them from organized crime.]
San José es la provincia donde se decomisan más armas en condición irregular.
Según el Ministerio de Seguridad, solo de enero a setiembre de... (GunPolicy.org)
Panama Police Lose 100 Military Guns, Grenades to Theft [ES]
28 September 2016
Panamá América
[Translated summary: At least 100 assault rifles, machine guns and grenades were allegedly stolen from the Institutional Protection Service, as reported by a lawyer with the Firearm Owners Association of Panama. The Association also noted that they receive between 15 and 30 gun theft complains each year, but that the police seize 1,500 in the same time.]
La supuesta pérdida de al menos un centenar de fusiles de asalto M4, ametralladoras y granadas dentro de los... (GunPolicy.org)
US the Source of 90% of Guns Smuggled Into Mexico [ES]
27 September 2016
Uni Mexicali (Mexico)
[Translated summary: Authorities from several Mexican states have registered an increase in the seizure of firearms coming from abroad, as informed by the Secretary of Public Security. He said that 90% of seizures, more than 1,600 firearms, are smuggled from the US.]
TIJUANA -- Autoridades no sólo de Baja California, sino de otras entidades del país han registrado un incremento en el
aseguramiento de armas de fuego procedentes del extranjero, informó el secretario... (GunPolicy.org)
Ecuador Police Seize, Hold 28,000 Guns for Destruction [ES]
22 September 2016
Infodefensa (Spain)
[Translated Summary: Since 1998, Ecuador's Judicial Police has stored over 28,000 firearms recovered in police operations. Now, they are going to deliver them to the National Army for its destruction, together with 43,000 ammunition and 205 cartridges. This cache was kept stored in different Police's Evidence Collection Points around the country.]
La Policía Judicial de Ecuador almacena desde 1998 más de 28.000 armas de fuego que ahora ha comenzado a entregar... (GunPolicy.org)
Venezuela Destroys Another 17,014 Seized Private Guns [ES]
22 September 2016
El Impulso (Venezuela)
[Translated Summary: 17,014 illegal firearms, which were seized nationwide by the state in the current year, were destroyed in Venezuela. The destruction consisted in the melting on a local city furnace. Since 2003, over 423,000 firearms have been destroyed.]
En el marco del Día Internacional de la Paz, el ministro del Poder Popular para Relaciones Interiores, Justicia y Paz, Néstor Reverol Torres, visitó la ciudad de Barquisimeto para encabezar el proceso de... (GunPolicy.org)
South America,Central America,Mexico
Latin America Recent Seizures Reveal Thriving Gun Trade [ES]
22 September 2016
InSight Crime (Bogotá)
[Translated summary: A series of recent raids and reports highlights the thriving arms trade in Latin America which continues to disrupt countries and entire regions. For example, a report by Prensa Libre found the 9mm pistol has been the weapon most commonly confiscated by Guatemala's National Police.]
Una serie de redadas e informes recientes ponen de relieve el floreciente negocio de armas en toda Latinoamérica, lo que sirve tanto para beneficio de los grupos... (GunPolicy.org)
Argentina Province Will Destroy Another 15,000 Guns [ES]
21 September 2016
Diario Panorama (Argentina)
[Translated summary: 15,000 guns are ready to be destroyed in a province of Argentina. These firearms were discarded by police and security forces, seized in crimes, or voluntarily surrendered by civilians in the last disarmament campaing. According to official data, there are 1.5 million firearms registered and 979,500 owners with licences in the country.]
Son las descartadas por las fuerzas de seguridad, las incautadas en delitos y las de usuarios civiles.
Según el... (GunPolicy.org)
Norwegian Police Seize Over 1,000 Illegal Guns from Collectors
21 September 2016
News in English (Norway)
Norwegians often refer derisively to how guns flourish among the public in the US, but Norway also has a high per capita amount of weapons in addition to being a weapons producer. Weapons are found in many households in Norway, for hunting or civil defense purposes. Far from all of them are legally registered, and that's what prompted the police raids carried out so far this year.
Newspaper Ringerikes Blad reported Wednesday that between 500 and 600 weapons were seized... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico,Central America,South America
Recent Seizures Point to Thriving Latin American Gun Trade
21 September 2016
InSight Crime (Bogotá)
A series of recent raids and reports highlights the thriving arms trade throughout Latin America, which serves to both profit illicit groups and to facilitate criminal violence in the region.
During a recent conference on armed violence in Central America, Ana Yancy Espinoza, academic director of the Costa Rican organization Fundación Arias, presented the results of an investigation on regional arms trafficking.
According to a press release from the Foundation for... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia Mulls More Gun Control as Gun Crimes Spike - NRA
20 September 2016
America's First Freedom
Hillary Clinton has said Australia's 1996 gun ban—and subsequent confiscation and destruction of over 650,000 guns from pump shotguns to rimfire .22 rifles from lawful people like you—is an idea "worth considering on the national level."
Australians beg to differ.
Today, 20 years after Australia's gun ban, gun crime is skyrocketing in Melbourne, Australia's second-largest city. And now politicians are talking about passing new gun-control laws to further disarm... (GunPolicy.org)
20,000 Firearms Destroyed in Venezuela So Far This Year [ES]
20 September 2016
Radio Nacional de Venezuela
[Translated summary: In Venezuela, at least 20,000 firearms from around the country have been disabled in the current year. In the next few days the government will destroy the guns by smelting in a steel plant. Almost 3,000 of these firearms were voluntarily surrendered. ]
Al menos 20 mil armas de fuego, provenientes de todos los estados del país, han sido inutilizadas en lo que va del año 2016, como parte del Plan Desarme que impulsa el Gobierno Bolivariano,... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Trafficking Network Dismantled in Colombia [ES]
20 September 2016
El Tiempo (Bogotá)
[Translated summary: 40 people accused of gun trafficking were captured in Colombia. During the operation, 5 machine guns, 30 rifles, more than 50,000 cartridges, grenades, over 50 handguns and 2 sniper rifles were seized.]
Luego de un operativo conjunto entre el Ejército y la Policía fueron capturadas 40 personas, en varias ciudades del país, a las que se les sindica de traficar armas con el Eln y bandas criminales. Los presuntos delincuentes incluso tenían una... (GunPolicy.org)
Guatemala Why 9mm and .38 Illicit Handguns Proliferate [ES]
19 September 2016
Prensa Libre (Guatemala)
[Translated summary: The most common guns used in crimes in Guatemala, for their cheap prices and their characteristics, are the 9 mm pistol and the .38 revolver. According to the experts, the 9 mm can be disassembled in 5 pieces that are interchangeable with other pistols, as long as they are the same brand and calibre. Criminals use them so they can hide evidence by changing the barrels.]
Armas utilizadas en crímenes son desarmadas y sus piezas vendidas en mercado... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Dismantle Massive Online Gun Market in Thailand
18 September 2016
Bangkok Post
Police have cracked a massive online market in firearms, including high-powered war weapons and assault equipment, in a series of lightning raids across the country.
In early morning action on Saturday on 76 locations in many provinces, a combined taskforce of officers from three police divisions detained 20 suspects and seized 141 firearms.
The raids were launched after it emerged that teenage students were buying firearms through social media and then committing... (GunPolicy.org)
406,534 Guns Surrendered, Seized in Venezuela Since 2003 [ES]
16 September 2016
Aporrea (Venezuela), SENADES
[Translated Summary: According to the General Director of Venezuela's Disarm Service, since 2014, 3,674 firearms and 31,305 ammunition have been surrendered voluntarily by civilians. As well, 52,053 firearms have been seized and will be destroyed. In total, since 2003, 406,534 firearms have been taken off the streets.]
La directora general del Servicio Nacional para el Desarme (Senades), Delia Rondón, anunció que del 2014 a la fecha se han recibido 3 mil 674 armas de... (GunPolicy.org)
'Alarming Increase' as 545 Guns Seized in Trinidad & Tobago
16 September 2016
Stabroek News (Guyana)
There has been an alarming increase in the quantity of guns and ammunition seized by police this year compared with last year.
The T&T Police Service (TTPS) was given a performance target by the office of the Commissioner of Police to recover at least 690 illegal firearms by the end of the year.
And with just over three months left, the organisation is well on its way to achieving this number, having recovered 545 illegal firearms.
In fact, this number represents an... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns Seized so Far This Year at Texas Airports: 2,653 [ES]
15 September 2016
El Paso (Mexico)
[Translated summary: In 2015, the Transport Security Agency in Texas has intercepted 2,653 firearms in carry-on bags at airport security checkpoints, almost 20% more than last year. Of these, 2,198 (82.8%) were loaded. The confiscations occurred in 236 airports; 12 more than last year.]
En lo que va del año, siete personas han tratado de abordar aviones en el Aeropuerto Internacional de El Paso con armas de fuego en su persona o en su equipaje.
Esta situación... (GunPolicy.org)
Venezuelans Trading Guns for Food with Trinidadians - Police
15 September 2016
Caribbean 360
PORT OF SPAIN – Venezuelans and Trinidadians are bartering on the high seas, selling and/or exchanging arms and ammunition for food and basic commodities.
These trades also take place at some of T&T's remote coastal ports, according to Assistant Superintendent of Police Vernly Gift of the Organised Crime, Narcotics and Firearms Bureau (OCNFB).
He made the comments yesterday at the police weekly briefing where he said there is a need for greater monitoring of the... (GunPolicy.org)
Smuggled US Assault Rifles Seized in Dominican Republic [ES]
14 September 2016
Proceso (Dominican Republic)
[Translated summary: A shipment of assault rifles, a shotgun, ammunition and accessories was seized by custom officers of the Dominican Republic. The Sandy Cargo Express ship in which they were found came from Florida. In the last few weeks, Dominican customs seized several guns and ammunition coming from New York, New Jersey, Miami and Puerto Rico.]
Un cargamento de fusiles de asalto, municiones, percutores y cargadores, así como una escopeta calibre 22, fueron... (GunPolicy.org)
El Salvador,Central America,United States
M16, AK Assault Rifles Often Used By Gangs in El Salvador
12 September 2016
InSight Crime (Bogotá), El Faro
The government of El Salvador's militarized campaign against the country's street gangs has been met by an increasingly heavily armed reaction. El Faro's investigation indicates that the gangs' growing use of assault rifles is an echo of the civil war that ended almost 25 years ago.
"Our presumption is that many are from the civil war," responds Mauricio Ramírez Landaverde, the Minister of Public Security, when questioned on the origin of the weapons that Salvadoran... (GunPolicy.org)
Young, Dumb & Armed: How Melbourne Became a Gun City (1)
12 September 2016
Age (Melbourne)
Sunday at the south-side club is gangster night. The blokes in streetwear - G Star Raw, Adidas, Louis Vuitton man-bags - the women in not much.
It's an exhibition of murky trades: drug dealers, bikies, standover men, the underworld's rising stars and wannabes.
They come from across the city to party and be seen, sweeping into the sprawling neon-lit club like royalty.
The ones flush with cash can spend big to get a VIP booth above the action, while the up-and-comers... (GunPolicy.org)
88% Increase in American Guns Seized at Canada Border [FR]
11 September 2016
Le Rempart (Canada)
[Translated summary: Between 2011 and 2015, the number of arms seized in the border posts of Southern Ontario has gone from 128 to 241. After an increase in Americans trying to enter Canada with their guns, the Border Services Agency launched a campaign to remind them of the rules: to avoid seizure, owners have to declare their guns before entering, leave them at the US border and retrieve them when they go back.]
La Région du sud de l'Ontario, telle que définie par... (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)
Ecuador to Destroy 35,000 Seized Firearms [ES]
8 September 2016
El Comercio (Peru)
[Translated Summary: In Ecuador, 10,139 firearms and 43,000 rounds of ammunition were delivered by the National Police to the Army to be destroyed. This cache of arms was seized in patrol and prevention operations. Another cache of 15,000 seized firearms will be delivered soon. In total, 35,000 firearms will be destroyed.]
10,139 armas de fuego y 43,000 municiones fueron entregadas por parte de la Policía Nacional al Comando Conjunto de las Fuerzas Armadas la mañana... (GunPolicy.org)
El Salvador Criminal Gang Uses Mostly US-Made Rifles [ES]
7 September 2016
El Faro (El Salvador)
[Translated summary: "Maras" gangsters in El Salvador use assault weapons. The authorities, former soldiers, experts and even gang members confirm that most of them come from the civil war of the 80's. Police seize at least one rifle every 3 days and the most common are the M-16, the AK-47 and the Galil.]
El gobierno del FMLN combate contra mareros equipados con fusiles de asalto. Autoridades, excomandantes, excombatientes, académicos, expertos y los propios... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Trafficking Network Dismantled in Spain, Lithuania [ES]
5 September 2016
20 Minutos (USA)
[Translated summary: 52 people were arrested in a raid that dismantled a drug and arms trafficking network linking Spain and Lithuania. Police reported that at least 50 guns were seized, AK-47 and Makarov pistols among them. The network purchased guns from collectors and repaired them in workshops to make them operational and sell them.]
Cincuenta y dos personas fueron arrestadas en un operativo que desmanteló una red de tráfico de drogas y armas que operaba en... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Owner Negligence Prompts Namibia to Control Firearms
5 September 2016
Namibian (Windhoek)
Gun owners who lose their weapons in a negligent manner will not get their licences back easily, police Inspector General Sebastian Ndeitunga said last week.
Announcing a firearms amnesty in Windhoek on Friday, Ndeitunga said the government and the safety ministry are concerned over the proliferation of illegal firearms, ammunition and armaments discovered by the police during operations conducted nationwide.
The firearms amnesty gives those with illegal firearms,... (GunPolicy.org)
Police in Australia Seize Guns Linked to US Crime Syndicate
2 September 2016
ABC News (Australia)
Police in Victoria and New South Wales have seized 300 weapons and gun parts in a haul they say has cracked down on a major crime syndicate importing weapons from the United States.
The international operation has led to firearms charges being laid against two men.
Police said there might be further arrests as their investigations continue.
The joint federal, state and international operation was sparked 15 months ago in Victoria when a military-style assault rifle... (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)
Canada Border Post Seizes 11 American Guns in 1 Day [FR]
1 September 2016
La Presse (Montréal)
[Translated summary: Canada Border Services Agency has seized 11 American undeclared weapons, one of them an assault rifle, in only one day and at one inspection post. Three travellers had to appear in court in relation to these seizures. Last year, the Agency seized 297 undeclared guns, most of them coming from or going to Alaska.]
L'Agence des services frontaliers du Canada (ASFC) a saisi en moins de 24 heures, à un seul poste-frontière albertain, onze armes à... (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)
24,341 Guns Seized from 'Narcos' in 5 Years in Mexico [ES]
28 August 2016
Milenio (Mexico)
[Translated Summary: In different operations against drug trafficking, US$52.7 million and 148.4 million Mexican pesos in cash have been secured, while 21,341 suspected criminals have been detained. Also, between 1 December 2012 and 31 July 2016, 24,449 firearms -- of which 16,063 are rifles and 8,436 are handguns, -- 2,937 grenades and 3,807,560 cartridges were seized.]
En lo que va del sexenio el Ejército ha golpeado las finanzas, estructura logística y capacidad... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 40,000 Guns Seized in Mexico in the Past Four Years [ES]
23 August 2016
Milenio (Mexico)
[Translated Summary: According to a Mexican Chancellor, between December 2012 and July 2016, Mexico has seized over 40,000 guns, 23,000 high-calibre guns, 4,000 grenades and 5.6 million ammunition. 70% of these firearms come from American buyers or suppliers, and 60% of them are manufactured in that country. Over the US border there are at least 9,000 legal gun shops and over 23,000 licensed gun dealers who can sell over the internet and fairs, even in... (GunPolicy.org)
Seizure of 'Weapon of War' Guns Increased 20% in Spain [ES]
23 August 2016
El País (Colombia)
[Translated summary: Approximately 20% of the 2,250 seized firearms in Spain in the last five years are weapons of war. Also, in the current year, about 1,073 firearms have been seized, 152 people have been arrested, at least four sweatshops have been shut down; there, assault rifles and semiautomatic guns were reactivated and ended up in countries at war.]
Los investigadores calculan que, en los últimos dos años, un pequeño negocio ubicado en el sótano de un... (GunPolicy.org)
US Airport Security Seizes Record 81 Carry-on Guns in a Week
22 August 2016
The Trace (USA)
Usually, the loaded gun is stuffed in a carry-on bag or a purse. Almost always, the excuse is: "I forgot."
For the second consecutive week, the Transportation Security Administration confiscated a record number of firearms at security checkpoints at U.S. airports. Officers seized 81 guns between August 12th and 18th. Of the weapons, 70 were loaded, and 31 had a round chambered, meaning ready to fire at the squeeze of a trigger.
Last week's tally brings the agency's... (GunPolicy.org)
Americans, Don't Bring Your Guns to Canada - Border Police
22 August 2016
CBC News (Canada)
Dear Americans;
You're more than welcome to visit Canada, but for goodness sake, leave your guns at home.
That's the message from the Canada Border Services Agency on Monday as it launched a firearms awareness campaign, reminding U.S. travellers coming to Canada that their northern neighbour's firearms laws are strict.
Canadian laws are different than U.S. ones, the agency reiterated in a news release.
The CBSA says most firearms seized at land border crossings are... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,China,Germany,United Kingdom,France,Russia,Spain,Italy,Israel,India,Saudi Arabia,United Arab Emirates,Pakistan,Australia,Turkey,Singapore,South Korea,South Sudan,Ukraine
Killer Facts: The Scale of the Global Arms Trade, Gun Totals
22 August 2016
Amnesty International (London)
Transfers of heavy conventional weapons
The top 10 exporters of conventional arms (excluding small arms/ light weapons – SALW) 2010-15
USA: US$55.006 billion
Russia: US$42.404 billion
China: US$9.943 billion
Germany: US$ 9.467 billion
France: US$ 8.932 billion
UK: US$ 7.627 billion
Spain: US$ 5.310 billion
Italy: US$ 4.360 billion
Ukraine: US$ 4.156 billion
Israel: US$ 3.280 billion
The top 10 importers of conventional arms (excluding SALWs) 2010-15
India:... (GunPolicy.org)
Delhi's Authorities in a Fix Due to Illegal Firearms Market
21 August 2016
New Indian Press (India)
As it grapples with rising gun crime, procuring a firearm in Delhi is as easy as ordering takeaway. AK-47s, Chinese Star pistols, Walther PPKs and more are available for the gangster or terrorist who shops with ease in the city's gun bazaar. Incidents of gun-related deaths have gone up in Delhi.
A Delhi Police constable was shot dead over the weekend by bag snatchers, a first of its kind. Earlier, Delhi Police's Anti-Terror Unit busted an international gang of gun... (GunPolicy.org)
Ecuador Registers 851 Guns for Civilians, Security Firms [ES]
20 August 2016
Ecuador Inmediato
[Translated summary: Ecuador's Arms Control Centre has registered 400 firearms for civilian use and 451 for security companies. In order to receive a firearm licence, Ecuadorians must pass a psychological test, a biometric registration, present a bill in their name and pay a tax. The Center is currently planning to destroy 238 seized arms. 215 were destroyed last year.]
Es importante que al vender o en caso de perder un arma, registrar el traspaso o pérdida, por... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Gun Factory Dismantled, Weapons Seized in Spain
18 August 2016
Spanish News Today
The Guardia Civil has dismantled a major arms manufacturing and repair workshop in the town of Dos Hermanas, near to the city of Sevilla, in the Andalucía region, seizing a large quantity of weapons and munitions, as well as a quantity of marijuana in the same premises.
During the raid a 48 year old man was arrested and will face a number of charges including manufacturing arms and munitions, storing and owning firearms without a licence, selling illegal weapons and... (GunPolicy.org)
Venezuela Destroys 2,000 Guns, Plans Bullet Registry - NYTimes
17 August 2016
New York Times
Venezuelan police crushed and chopped up nearly 2,000 shotguns and pistols in a Caracas city square on Wednesday, as the new interior minister relaunched a long-stalled gun control campaign in one of the world's most crime-ridden countries.
Interior Minister Nestor Reverol said the event marked the renewal of efforts to disarm Venezuelans, through a combination of seizures and a voluntary program to swap guns for electrical goods.
Venezuela has the world's second... (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)
Machine Guns, Hand Grenades Found in Chicago Storage Unit
16 August 2016
Chicago Sun-Times
Authorities found hand grenades and machine guns inside a northwest suburban man's storage unit in Elgin Friday night, police said.
About 9 p.m., Elgin police and federal immigration officers executed a search warrant inside the unit in the 600 block of Big Timber Road, according to a statement from Elgin police.
A bomb squad from the Kane County sheriff's office was called after investigators found a cache of automatic weapons and hand grenades, police said. The... (GunPolicy.org)
Another 25,000 Firearms Crushed, Smelted in Argentina [ES]
13 August 2016
El Dia (Argentina)
[Translated Summary: Under the supervision of Justice and Security Ministers, the Argentinian government destroyed over 25,000 firearms seized in police operations in various provinces. Destruction involves crushing, then melting the firearms using a high temperature furnace. ]
Bajo la atenta mirada de los ministros de Justicia, Germán Garavano; de Seguridad, Patricia Bullrich, y la titular de la Agencia Nacional de Materiales Controlados (Anmac), Natalia Gambaro, el... (GunPolicy.org)
Spain Seizes Shipment of Swiss Assault Rifles Destined for US
12 August 2016
Spanish News Today
The Guardia Civil and the Spanish customs authorities have seized a shipment of 809 firearms which were bound for the USA at the port of Algeciras in the province of Cádiz (Andalucía).
The weapons confiscated on 4th August were 737 assault rifles and 72 grenade launchers made in Switzerland, and the shipment which arrived from Ghana is now under investigation by the authorities in Algeciras.
No arrests have yet been made, and one of the reasons for the firearms... (GunPolicy.org)
Colombia's FARC Will Have 180 Days to Surrender Guns [ES]
5 August 2016
El Espectador (Colombia)
[Translated Summary: In the Colombian peace process, there is a strict plan for the FARC cease-fire. This agreement includes monitoring and verification, rules for the definitive cessation of bilateral hostilities, and the surrender of firearms which should finish within the next 180 days.]
El jefe negociador también señaló que la próxima semana los delegados del Gobierno y las Farc harán recorrerán las zonas veredales que recibirán a la guerrilla para la... (GunPolicy.org)
One Million Illegal Guns, 6,700 Seized in Honduras [ES]
4 August 2016
Radio HRN (Honduras)
[Translated summary: Honduras confiscated 6,700 firearms in the last two years, most of them from gangs. Types include AK-47 and AR-15 rifles, .45, .38 and 9 mm handguns, shotguns and handmade guns. It is estimated that the cost of the arms seized since 2014 exceeds 100 million lempiras (4.38 million USD). About 1 million illegal firearms circulate in Honduras and 400,000 are legally registered.]
En lo que va del año van más de 1,400 armas de fuego incautadas lo que... (GunPolicy.org)
Delhi Becomes Safe Haven for Illegal Gun Trafficking Industry
2 August 2016
India Times
When one thinks of Delhi, one thinks of our country's legislative capital, home to the Parliament, the Supreme Court and our nation's top leaders and policy makers. On the surface, it appears to be a relatively lawful city, far from the infamous gang violence of Mumbai. It may come as a surprise that the city has of late become a safe haven for a huge illegal gun trafficking industry. From .315 and 12 bore pistols to assault rifles and AK-47, all sophisticated firearms... (GunPolicy.org)
US Study Finds 79% of Crime Guns Are Not Legally Owned
28 July 2016
Guns (US)
A study published this month finds 4 out of 5 guns recovered in crime are not owned by the perpetrator, who often obtained them through theft or trafficking.
The peer-reviewed study, "Gaps continue in firearm surveillance: Evidence from a large U.S. City Bureau of Police," was complied by a team of researchers led by Dr. Anthony Fabio of the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Public Health, and published in this month's Social Medicine.
Fabio worked with... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia Targets 'Darkweb' Gun Sales With $25.4 Million Fund
27 July 2016
Gizmodo (Australia)
The Federal Government has announced a $25.4 million funding injection into the detection and seizure of illegal firearms, including "specialised intelligence software tools" aimed at boosting intelligence collection on international firearms trafficking.
The software will and allow the Australian Federal Police to search, analyse and map intelligence data to identify previously unknown links between firearms traffickers and their suppliers, customers and illegal... (GunPolicy.org)
Ukraine,Russia,Iraq,Syria,Libya
Ukraine Once Again a Trove for Black Market Gun Trafficking
25 July 2016
New York Times, Reuters
SLOVIANSK/MOSCOW — On Feb. 12 last year, the same day that a ceasefire ended the worst of the fighting in eastern Ukraine between rebels and government forces, a former rebel fighter seized a chance to turn his inside knowledge of the conflict into hard cash.
He traveled to a spot on the Russian-Ukrainian border where he retrieved a cache of weapons hidden there earlier by his comrades in the pro-Russian rebel movement.
Four days later, shortly before 6:00 p.m., he... (GunPolicy.org)
Vast Majority of Guns Recovered in Pittsburgh Not Legal
25 July 2016
EurekAlert (USA)
PITTSBURGH -- Nearly 80 percent of perpetrators carrying a gun recovered by Pittsburgh Police were not the lawful owners, a strong indication that theft and trafficking are significant sources of firearms involved in crimes in southwest Pennsylvania, a new University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health analysis reveals.
The finding suggests a timely opportunity for collaboration between public health and law enforcement officials to better understand and... (GunPolicy.org)
Los Angeles Destroys Another 7,044 Guns: Total 160,000 [ES]
21 July 2016
La Opinión (USA), EFE News Agency
[Translated Summary: Over 7,044 firearms which had been collected, seized or voluntarily surrendered, were destroyed in California. According to Los Angeles' Sheriff the firearms were melted and turned into steel bars that are going to be used in the construction of highways and bridges. This melting operation has been the biggest in the current 23 year-program, with a total of over 160,000 destroyed firearms.]
El Sheriff de Los Ángeles presidió hoy una ceremonia en... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 1,000 Guns Seized in Operations in Mexican City [ES]
20 July 2016
Excelsior (Mexico)
[Translated Summary: Coordination Team in Tamaulipas, MX informed that between the 24th of June to the 14th of July, over 697 rifles, 171 handguns, 117 grenades, 3 rockets, 16 grenade launchers, 227,178 different calibre cartridges and 5,994 clips were seized.]
En el marco de la Estrategia de Seguridad Tamaulipas contra la delincuencia Fuerzas Federales y Estatales aseguraron en 20 días todo un arsenal que incluye cohetes, lanzagranadas, casi mil armas de fuego de... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
Syria,Iraq,Jordan,Lebanon,Turkey,United States,Qatar,Saudi Arabia
Weapons of the Syrian War: Small Arms
19 July 2016
Defense One (USA)
Small arms were already plentiful in Syria before the war, thanks to years of Soviet and Russian support. More flooded in after the conflict began
First use: March 18, 2011. After the Assad regime detained more than a dozen teenagers as part of its Arab Spring crackdown, protesters burned down a police headquarters in the southern city of Dara'a. In response, police fired tear gas at protesters, and then opened fire on them.
Origin: Small arms were already plentiful... (GunPolicy.org)
South Africa Police Seize Firearms and Ammunition
18 July 2016
Parliament of South Africa (Cape Town)
The Portfolio Committee on Police has lauded the renewed focus on illegal guns by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), and believes such is necessary and should be supported.
Committee Chairperson, Mr Francois Beukman, said the recent operations by the Hawks in Morningside in Durban, Vanderbijlpark and Dawn Park where they seized illegal guns and arrested suspects is critical in ensuring that illegal firearms are removed from the streets.
"The DPCI... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Puerto Rico,Caribbean
Florida a 'Massive' Gun-Smuggling Gateway to North, Caribbean
18 July 2016
News 4 Jax (USA)
JACKSONVILLE -- Across the state of Florida, Jacksonville had the most guns recovered last year that were tied to crimes -- more than 4,000 in 2014 and 2015 combined, the News4Jax I-TEAM learned.
Why here? The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives points to our open highways with access to JaxPort. Those interstates include I-10, even I-75, and the big one, I-95.
In fact, I-95 is so notorious for gun trafficking, it's called the "Iron Pipeline." Guns... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico City Airport Used as Hub for Gun Smuggling [ES]
17 July 2016
El Universal (Mexico)
[Translated summary: According to a report by the Mexican Federal Police, the Mexico City airport is being used as a hub for firearm smuggling. Between 2015 and the first two months of 2016, 62% of gun and cartridge confiscations were made in flights from Mexico City to other locations. During that period, 539 cartridges and 34 guns were seized.]
Un informe de la PF revela que 62% de los aseguramientos de armas y cartuchos se realizaron en vuelos que partieron de la... (GunPolicy.org)
South Africa Far-Right Leader Arrested for Gun Possession
15 July 2016
Eyewitness News (South Africa)
JOHANNESBURG – The Hawks have arrested the leader of the Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (AWB) in the Vaal for possession of firearms and ammunition.
The 48-year-old was arrested at a house in Vereeniging, where he was found with eight unlicensed firearms and more than 2,000 rounds of different calibre ammunition.
Yesterday, another member of the party was arrested in Vanderbijlpark, in possession of nine rifles and three pistols.
The two will appear in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Caribbean,American Samoa,Niue,Palau,Northern Mariana Islands,Nauru,Cook Islands,Fiji,Micronesia,French Polynesia,Marshall Islands,Kiribati,Papua New Guinea,Samoa,Solomon Islands,Tonga,Tuvalu,Vanuatu,New Caledonia
Addressing Gun Violence in the Caribbean and the Pacific
15 July 2016
The Diplomat (Japan)
"The seas bring us together, they do not separate us."
–Constitution of the Federated States of Micronesia
The Caribbean and the Pacific each offer a unique and contrasting perspective toward addressing armed violence. Despite sharing similar challenges as Small Island Developing States (SIDS), each region faces very different circumstances on the ground. In light of this, each region has taken a different approach toward addressing armed violence. The Pacific stands... (GunPolicy.org)
Jamaica's 'Get the Guns' Campaign Seizes 336 Firearms
12 July 2016
Jamaica Observer
KINGSTON – The 'Get the Guns' campaign continues to reap results in the number of illegal guns seized by the security forces since the start of the year.
Communication Officer, Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), Superintendent Stephanie Lindsay, reports that law-enforcement officers have seized 336 illegal guns from communities all across Jamaica.
Speaking at a press conference at the Office of the Commissioner in St Andrew on July 11, Superintendent Lindsay said the... (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)
Gang Smuggling Guns from Switzerland to France Dismantled
11 July 2016
SwissInfo
An investigation by the French police has led to the arrest of two Swiss residents involved in smuggling arms to the French cities of Toulouse and Marseilles. Around 300 to 400 weapons of different calibers, including a Kalashnikov and M16 were seized.
Information on the trafficking operation was obtained after investigations in France and Switzerland in June and July, said the Marseilles public prosecutor Brice Robin at a press conference in the city on Monday.
Two... (GunPolicy.org)
Review of New Zealand Gun Laws Likely to Lead to Changes
10 July 2016
Radio New Zealand
An internal review of how the police administer and monitor firearms is likely to lead to changes in the law, including allowing people to apply for a gun licence online.
The review was being carried out in parallel to the Parliamentary Select Committee inquiry into illegal gun possession, sparked by the shooting of four police officers in Kawerau and the seizure of a cache of illicit firearms in Auckland earlier this year.
Police national manager for police response... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 67,000 Illegal Firearms Destroyed in Angola
10 July 2016
Angola Press Agency (Luanda)
NAMIBE — Sixty-seven thousand of 102,027 fire arms so far collected from the civil population countrywide have been destroyed, said Saturday in southwest Namibe province the second general commander of National Police chief commissioner, Paulo de Almeida.
Also coordinator of National Technical Sub-Commission for Civilian Disarmament, Paulo de Almeida was speaking at the central event of the International Small Arms Destruction Day, on July 9.
The senior police... (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)