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Date: April 30, 2024 Tue
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Results for illegal firearms
9 results foundAuthor: U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy Title: US/Mexico Bi-National Cooperation Against Illicit Drugs: Main Results and Performance Measures of Effectiveness Summary: This document contains two reports. The first one entitled Main Results of the U.S.–Mexico Bi-national Cooperation Against Illicit Drugs (1995–2000), approved at the VIII HLCG meeting held in Mexico City in August 8th 2000 and second, the Performance Measures of Effectiveness Report. The Performance Measures of Effectiveness Report describes accomplishments by the United States and Mexico in the first eighteen months (February 1998–August 1999) in which the US/Mexico Bi-National Drug Control Strategy was in effect. It is an attempt to review the status of the Action Items contributing to the achievement of the Strategy goals that were detailed within the initial PME publication. The Main Results of the Bi-national Cooperation Against Illicit Drugs is an effort to provide a general assessment and a more current account of our cooperation efforts. The purpose of the two documents is to provide information to policy makers so that they can evaluate what parts of the bi-national strategy have been achievable, what parts need more effort, and what parts ought to be changed. The two reports will permit the reader to evaluate whether we have completed our actions, and how those actions contribute to achieving the Strategy objectives. Details: Washington, DC: Office of National Drug Control Policy, 2010. 182p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 14, 2010 at: http://www.ncjrs.gov/ondcppubs/publications/international/binational_1995_to_2000/binational_1995_to_2000.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.ncjrs.gov/ondcppubs/publications/international/binational_1995_to_2000/binational_1995_to_2000.pdf Shelf Number: 120494 Keywords: Drug Control PolicyDrug EnforcementIllegal DrugsIllegal FirearmsTrafficking in Weapons |
Author: U.S. Congress. House of Representatives. Minority Staff, Committee on Oversight Title: Fatally Flawed: Five Years of Gunwalking in Arizona Summary: On December 15, 2010, Customs and Border Protection Agent Brian Terry was killed in a gunfight in Arizona, and two AK-47 variant assault rifles found at the scene were traced back to purchases by one of the targets of an investigation called Operation Fast and Furious being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The target already had been identified as a suspected straw purchaser involved with a large network of firearms traffickers smuggling guns to deadly Mexican drug cartels. At the request of the Committee’s Ranking Member, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, this report describes the results of the Committee’s year-long investigation into the actions and circumstances that led to this operation. The report finds that gunwalking operations originated as early as 2006 as agents in the Phoenix Field Division of ATF devised a strategy to forgo arrests against low-level straw purchasers while they attempted to build bigger cases against higher-level trafficking organizers and financiers. Rather than halting operations after flaws became evident, they launched several similarly reckless operations over the course of several years, also with tragic results. Each investigation involved various incarnations of the same activity: agents were contemporaneously aware of illegal firearms purchases, they did not typically interdict weapons or arrest straw purchasers, and firearms ended up in the hands of criminals on both sides of the border. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Minority Staff, 2012. 95p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 14, 2012 at: http://democrats.oversight.house.gov/images/stories/minority_report_13112.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://democrats.oversight.house.gov/images/stories/minority_report_13112.pdf Shelf Number: 124129 Keywords: Assault WeaponsGun Violence (Arizona)Illegal FirearmsTrafficking in GunsTrafficking in Weapons |
Author: United States. Department of Justice. Oversight and Review Division Title: A Review of ATF’s Operation Fast and Furious and Related Matters Summary: On October 31, 2009, special agents working in the Phoenix office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) received information from a local gun store about the recent purchases of multiple AK- 47 style rifles by four individuals. Agents began investigating the purchases and soon came to believe that the men were so-called “straw purchasers” involved in a large-scale gun trafficking organization responsible for buying guns for transport to violent Mexican drug trafficking organizations. This investigation was later named “Operation Fast and Furious.”1 By the time ATF and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona (U.S. Attorney’s Office) publicly announced the indictment in the case on January 25, 2011, agents had identified more than 40 subjects believed to be connected to a trafficking conspiracy responsible for purchasing over 2,000 firearms for approximately $1.5 million in cash. The vast majority of the firearms purchased by Operation Fast and Furious subjects were AK-47 style rifles and FN Herstal 5.7 caliber pistols. During the course of the investigation, ATF agents seized only about 100 of the firearms purchased, the result of a strategy jointly pursued by ATF and the U.S. Attorney’s Office that deferred taking overt enforcement action against the individual straw purchasers while seeking to build a case against the leaders of the organization. Numerous firearms bought by straw purchasers were later recovered by law enforcement officials at crime scenes in Mexico and the United States. One such recovery occurred in connection with the tragic shooting death of a federal law enforcement agent, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agent Brian Terry. On January 16, 2010, one of the straw purchasers, Jaime Avila, purchased three AK-47 style rifles from a Phoenix-area gun store. ATF agents learned about that purchase 3 days later and, consistent with the investigative strategy in the case, made no effort to locate Avila or seize the rifles although ATF had identified Avila as a suspect in November 2009. Two of the three rifles Licensee (FFL) is a person, partnership, or business entity that holds a license issued by ATF that allows it to “engage in the business” of dealing, manufacturing, importing, or repairing firearms. Under federal law, a person is “engaged in the business” when he devotes time, attention, and labor to any of these activities with the “principal objective of livelihood and profit through the repetitive purchase and resale of firearms[.]”6 ATF’s licensing process is intended to ensure that only qualified individuals receive a license to sell guns. According to materials provided to us by ATF, the application process includes the submission of a completed questionnaire containing information about the applicant, the type of license sought, and the business premises, among other items. Applicants must also submit fingerprint cards for criminal background checks and are advised that they should expect to be contacted by an ATF investigator during the application process. An applicant who is granted a license receives several agency publications from ATF, including ATF’s Federal Firearms Regulations Reference Guide, Safety and Security Information for Federal Firearms Licensees, and Federal Firearms Licensee Quick Reference and Best Practices Guide. ATF also provides information about various ATF and Department components relevant to FFL operations, and a summary of state firearms laws and ordinances to new licensees. ATF Industry Operations Investigators are authorized to review FFLs’ records and inventory, to conduct annual warrantless inspections of FFLs to ensure compliance with federal recordkeeping requirements, to obtain an inspection warrant if needed, and to obtain a “reasonable cause warrant” if there is evidence of certain violations. Violations can result in the revocation of an FFL’s license. Investigators also work with ATF special agents in cases where criminal activity is suspected. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Dept. of Justice, Office of the Inspector General, Oversight and Review Division, 2012. 514p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 13, 2013 at: http://www.justice.gov/oig/reports/2012/s1209.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.justice.gov/oig/reports/2012/s1209.pdf Shelf Number: 129396 Keywords: Illegal Arms Transfer (U.S.)Illegal FirearmsOperation Fast and Furious |
Author: Control Arms Campaign Title: The AK-47: the world's favourite killing mahine Summary: Kalashnikov assault rifles are the most widespread military weapons in the world. It is estimated that there are between 50 and 70 million of them spread across the world’s five continents. They are used daily by soldiers, fighters, and gang members to inflict untold suffering in many countries. The spread of these weapons continues largely unchecked by governments, threatening the lives and safety of millions as weapons fall into irresponsible hands. More than ever, the Kalashnikov rifle is the weapon of choice for many armies, militias, armed gangs, law enforcement officials, rebels, and other private actors who abuse fundamental human rights and operate beyond the international humanitarian law parameters laid down by the Geneva Conventions and other relevant international law. Although the United Nations and its member states have taken concrete action to limit the proliferation of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons of mass destruction through international treaties and monitoring organisations, the number one tool used for killing and injuring civilians today is small arms, including the assault rifle, which is reaching more countries than ever before. On 26 June 2006, the UN Review Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons begins in New York. At this conference, governments have an opportunity to agree effective and comprehensive controls to prevent the proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons, including assault rifles like the AK-47. In October 2006, at the UN General Assembly, governments should agree to negotiate a new global Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) to regulate international transfers of all conventional arms, including military assault rifles. Details: s.l.: Control Arms.org: 2006. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: Control Arms Briefing Note: Accessed November 21, 2016 at: https://www.oxfamamerica.org/static/oa3/files/ak-47-worlds-favourite-killing-machine.pdf Year: 2006 Country: International URL: https://www.oxfamamerica.org/static/oa3/files/ak-47-worlds-favourite-killing-machine.pdf Shelf Number: 147878 Keywords: Arms ControlAssault WeaponsFirearmsIllegal FirearmsIllicit TradeTrafficking in Weapons |
Author: Galemba, Rebecca B. Title: Cultures of Contraband: Contesting Illegality at the Mexico-Guatemala Border Summary: Driving from Frontera Comalapa, Chiapas, Mexico to the communities on the Mexico-Guatemala border where I planned to live and conduct fieldwork from September 2006- September 2007, I drove through several rural farms, towns, and winding roads. Upon reaching the Pan-American Highway is a makeshift police station, a small concrete building labeled, PFP (Policia Federal Preventiva, or Federal Preventative Police). Outside a police car was stationed as traffic whizzed by. Shortly before entering the border communities, there is also a military base. The Mexican government installed this base in the late 1990s during the Zapatista conflict to monitor resistance, despite the fact that the Zapatistas had little presence in the Comalapa region. The military currently uses the base to erect road blockades to inspect for contraband, illegal migrants, illicit drugs, and illegal firearms. There were almost always blockades on Fridays so that soldiers could inspect vehicles returning from market day at the official border crossing at La Mesilla, Guatemala and Ciudad Cuauhtemoc, Mexico. I had originally intended to conduct research at the Mexico-Guatemala border to study the contrasts between policies that simultaneously advocated an "open" border for free trade and a militarized border to comply with Washington's security demands to stem the northward flow of illicit drugs, crime, and undocumented migrants (Benitez Manaut 2003; Pickard, CIEPAC 2007). Despite the increased presence of the Mexican military and police forces2 in the region, border residents agreed that since the late 1990s they experienced less official border surveillance. Instead, residents allude to a booming industry of cross-border contraband in everyday goods, as well as undocumented migrants, arms, and drugs. I realized that my original interest in undocumented migration formed part of a larger picture of historical and cross-border flows of people, goods, and information. Studying border flows from the ground-up revealed a border region that was not just simultaneously "open" to goods and "closed" to people as I had anticipated, but full of various contingent and conflicting openings and enclosures. When I interviewed a Mexican customs inspector at Ciudad Cuauhtemoc, he lamented, "In this region illegality governs. It is what distinguishes this region [from other customs inspections posts]." This inspector had worked in multiple customs ports throughout Mexico, but seemed to resign and adapt himself to this aspect of "illegality," referring to it as part of the "regional culture." Despite stricter laws and Mexico's modernization of the official border crossing and customs inspections in the late 1990s, he told me that most commerce in the region occurred in clandestine crossings. This dissertation examines the multiple meanings of illegality and how notions of illegality permeate, and at times govern, social, political, and economic life at the Mexico-Guatemala border. A 2006 article in El Financiero, labeled the Mexico-Guatemala border "a paradise for contraband...[stating that] the problem, which is little spoken about, is that illegality dominates everything at the border." By focusing on the residents of a clandestine border pathway on the Mexico-Guatemala border, I problematize the concept of "illegality," arguing that the social and economic relations engendered by illegal practices often generate new forms of law, economy, and moral norms. While legal and illegal practices may blur in everyday interactions (Nordstrom 2007), I examine how residents distinguish and organize the heterogeneity of these practices in order to situate illegality within the larger political and moral economy. By examining the daily relations between border residents, state and federal agents, farmers, formal-sector companies, and smugglers, I illustrate how illegality produces and reconstitutes gendered, ethnic, and class inflected subjectivities. Details: Providence, RI: Brown University, 2009. 364p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: https://repository.library.brown.edu/storage/bdr:155/PDF/ Year: 2009 Country: Mexico URL: https://repository.library.brown.edu/storage/bdr:155/PDF/ Shelf Number: 130138 Keywords: Border SecurityContrabandDrug TraffickingIllegal FirearmsIllegal MigrantsIllicit DrugsTrafficking in Firearms |
Author: Heley, Frank Anton Title: .Assessment and Policy Recommendation On Domestic Illegal Firearms Trafficking Summary: This report examined the nature of domestic illegal firearms trafficking, including key features and predictors of firearms trafficking, and rationalizes the defining of domestic illegal firearms trafficking into three levels that are indicative of the seriousness and features inherent to the particular level of trafficking. This report also examined the scope of the trafficking situations at their respective levels, the means already being utilized to address firearms trafficking problems, and their effectiveness. Finally, this report recognizes that the differing levels of trafficking may require varied and differing efforts be used in combating firearms trafficking and policy recommendations involving both legislative and enforcement efforts are detailed at the respective levels of trafficking. Details: Fargo, ND: North Dakota State University, 2012. 92p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed September 14, 2017 at: https://library.ndsu.edu/ir/bitstream/handle/10365/19540/Frank%20Anton%20Heley.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: https://library.ndsu.edu/ir/bitstream/handle/10365/19540/Frank%20Anton%20Heley.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y Shelf Number: 147260 Keywords: Firearms TraffickingIllegal FirearmsTrafficking in FirearmsTrafficking Weapons |
Author: B.C. Task Force on Illegal Firearms Title: Illegal Firearms Task Force: Final Report Summary: British Columbia continues to experience troubling and highly dangerous incidents of firearms violence that have resulted in numerous deaths and injuries. Highly public and brazen acts, often linked to organized crime and gangs, place innocent members of the public at risk, create fear, hardship and tragedy for the individuals and communities affected, and impose substantial burdens on public resources. The Government of B.C., in an enhanced provincial strategy to combat guns and gangs, convened an Illegal Firearms Task Force to make recommendations for action to the B.C. Minister of Public Safety & Solicitor General. The Task Force, consisting of provincial experts with a wide range of experience in managing illegal firearms and organized crime, reviewed and analyzed the existing published research, interviewed numerous individuals and organizations, and conducted community consultations around B.C. It reviewed the information presented and developed recommendations addressing both specific issues that had been identified and broad strategic approaches. Four themes - The recommendations fall into four themes: Theme #1: Strategic Approaches Coordinating and focussing the efforts of the diverse agencies that work to reduce crime and enhance public safety will ensure the most effective use of resources and the greatest impact in limiting the availability and use of illegal firearms. Action categories include: - An illegal firearms-focussed approach - Alignment of existing and enhanced resources in order to improve outcomes relative to illegal firearms trafficking, their availability to criminals and the manner in which they are used by organized crime - Road safety and illegal firearms - Road safety initiatives to reduce the incidence of illegal firearms possession in motor vehicles and the concurrent use of illegal firearms and motor vehicles to carry out organized crime violence - Provincial Tactical Enforcement Priority - Leveraging the innovative and unique capabilities of the Provincial Tactical Enforcement Priority model to maximize intelligence, disruption and enforcement of illegal firearms traffickers and the targeting of those who use firearms to support violent organized crime activity - Firearms tracing hub and labs - The enhanced and timely analysis of all recovered firearms and the determination of their potential association with crime to provide investigative information and strategic intelligence - Alignment of law enforcement policy - The alignment and modernization of law enforcement policy with the education of law enforcement officers and Crown prosecutors to realize strategic objectives related to illegal firearms trafficking and the use of illegal firearms in violent crimes - "Bar Watch" programs - Expansion of a successful Vancouver program to deter and mitigate gang and firearms violence within licenced liquor establishments throughout the province Theme #2: Legislative Initiatives Firearms possession and the criminal use of firearms are primarily governed by federal legislation. The Task Force has made several recommendations related to the enhancement of federal legislation and the creation of provincial legislation in order to reduce the risks of illegal firearms use. Action categories include: - Quebec's mass shooting and firearms violence mitigation: A model for provincial actions - Legislation that enhances the ability of law enforcement and partner agencies to identify and prevent firearms violence through the timely sharing of information - Imitation firearms - Legislation to control the access and use of readily available imitation firearms; to limit their risk to communities, first responders and those who possess them; and to disrupt early patterns of illegal firearms use by youth - Straw purchasers and point-of-sale record-keeping - Legislation requiring sellers to keep records of firearms sales (not a central registry), enhancing the ability of judicially authorized law enforcement to trace crime guns, collect firearms trafficking intelligence and deter firearms traffickers - Manufacture of untraceable firearms - Legislation to prohibit access to unmarked firearms parts and parts that can be assembled into illegal firearms Theme #3: Education and Prevention Focussed efforts by a wide range of stakeholders and agencies working with the public, industry and communities will create awareness, build resilience and reduce the acquisition, availability and use of illegal firearms in B.C. communities. Action categories include: - Safe schools, student and parent education - Leveraging existing school-based programs to disrupt potentially violent antisocial behaviour, including the use of firearms, and to ensure the understanding of educators and parents on the factors and indicators related to violence prevention - Community-based programs - Rural and First Nations communities - Tailored community-based strategies designed to recognize the specific risks associated with communities in which firearms are readily available and which experience violence and organized crime involving firearms - Canadian Firearms Program compliance strategies - Enhancing compliance efforts pursuant to the firearms regulations designed to prevent and deter illegal firearms trafficking - Registration issues from the former Restricted Weapons Registration System - Initiatives to reduce the large number of restricted and prohibited firearms that are not in compliance with current registration requirements and no longer under the oversight of the Canadian Firearms Program Theme #4: Data Collection and Information Sharing The purposeful collection of intelligence from a variety of sources will inform prevention, enforcement and disruption efforts by all stakeholders against the trafficking, possession and use of illegal firearms. The Task Force has made recommendations in two action categories, including: - Intelligence and data quality - Assigning a lead intelligence agency and data warehouse to coordinate all intelligence collection, assure data quality and facilitate analysis related to the trafficking, possession and use of illegal firearms - PRIME-BC access by all key stakeholders - Providing necessary access to B.C.'s own Police Record Information Management System (PRIME-BC) to key agencies engaged in illegal firearms prevention, enforcement and disruption Details: Victoria, BC: Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General of British Columbia, 2017. 138p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 29, 2017 at: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/law-crime-and-justice/criminal-justice/police/publications/government/iftf_final_report_pdf.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Canada URL: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/law-crime-and-justice/criminal-justice/police/publications/government/iftf_final_report_pdf.pdf Shelf Number: 148534 Keywords: GangsGun Control PolicyGun ViolenceGun-Related ViolenceHomicidesIllegal FirearmsMurdersOrganized CrimeTrafficking in Firearms |
Author: Slot, Brigitte Title: Interwovenness of organised crime and terrorist jihadi groups regarding the procurement of firearms Summary: The question if and how organised crime and terrorist jihadi groups are interwoven regarding the procurement of (automatic) firearms is of great interest for investigative and intelligence services. This research sheds light on the issue through three elements: - a literature review, - an exploration of the added value of social network analysis (SNA), - an illustration of this added value based on a concrete Dutch case. The literature review expounds the (criminological) theory behind the interwovenness of organised crime and terrorist jihadi groups, and elaborates the most recent developments in our thinking about the issue: criminal and terrorist organisations recruit their members from the same pool; perpetrators of (foiled) attacks in Europe often had a criminal background; in the Paris attacks firearms were found from a batch that is connected to a known firearms supply line. With the knowledge about the international and European context as a background, an exploration has been conducted of the added value of SNA on this issue for investigative services. Based on a round of discussions with various departments of the National Police tasked with monitoring developments of this issue, it is concluded that for a variety of reasons currently SNA is applied to a limited extent. After a short explanation of what SNA entails, it is subsequently discussed how an SNA can be applied to studying this nexus. Next, the added value is illustrated through the analysis of a large case involving the smuggling of and trade in firearms: - Based on primary police data (registrations and antecedents) and discussions with involved experts the case is framed and a starting group of suspects is identified. The direct network of these persons has been mapped (in connection with which other persons were they known by the police?), after which the direct network of these newly added persons-of-interest was mapped, thereby resulting in a network comprising the network of our starting group to the second degree. In addition, various personal traits of the members of the network were mapped: were they encountered with firearms? Are they of interest in the context of counterterrorism, extremism and radicalisation (CTER) monitoring? Are the known to be firearms dealers? - In this way, interrelations between over 700 persons were mapped, as well as their profile ('firearms possessor', 'firearms dealer', 'terrorism suspect'). This resulted in 24 larger and smaller networks, which operated independently of one another (no interrelations were found between these networks, based on second degree connections). In additions, new connections that had not previously been visible came to light. - Based on the data gathered, SNA-specific network indicators were calculated, which help with identifying the function of a person within a network: who is important acting as a bridge between sub-networks, who are central actors in a network, who have the most connections with 'important' persons? Proceeding from the values on these indicators, a number of persons have been identified as potentially interesting for follow-up by the investigative services A further deepening of this theme is recommended as a result of this exploration. In the context of this research, a number of concrete possibilities have been described for how to apply SNA within the police agencies to this theme and related issues. SNA can support the process of gathering further information regarding the nexus of organised crime and terrorist jihadi groups, and can assist in the decision-making concerning how to prioritise follow-up investigatory work. Details: Rotterdam: Ecorys, 2017. Executive summary. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 2, 2018 at: https://english.wodc.nl/binaries/2738_Summary_tcm29-291432.pdf (full text only available in Dutch) Year: 2017 Country: Netherlands URL: https://english.wodc.nl/binaries/2738_Summary_tcm29-291432.pdf Shelf Number: 148985 Keywords: Crime AnalysisIllegal Arms TradeIllegal FirearmsJihadi GroupsOrganized CrimeTerrorism |
Author: U.S. Government Accountability Office Title: Internet Firearm Sales: ATF Enforcement Efforts and Outcomes of GAO Covert Testing Summary: The current federal legal framework governing buying and selling of firearms does not specifically address the use of the Internet to facilitate these transactions. Additionally, private transactions involving the mostcommon types of firearms between individuals who are not licensed to commercially sell weapons and who are residents of the same state, including transactions facilitated by the Internet, are generally not subject to federal background-check requirements. Congressional requesters asked that GAO assess the extent to which ATF is enforcing existing laws and investigate whether online private sellers sell firearms to people who are not allowed or eligible to possess a firearm. This report describes (1) techniques ATF uses to investigate and enforce generally applicable firearm laws in instances where the firearm or firearm component transaction is facilitated by the Internet and (2) results of GAO's undercover attempts to buy firearms on the Dark Web and Surface Web. GAO analyzed documents and interviewed officials to identify actions ATF has taken to prohibit illegal firearm transactions. GAO also attempted to purchase firearms from Dark Web and Surface Web marketplaces. The results of the testing are illustrative and nongeneralizable. Details: Washington, DC: GAO, 2017. 37p. Source: Internet Resource: GAO-18-24: Accessed February 14, 2018 at: https://www.gao.gov/assets/690/688535.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: https://www.gao.gov/assets/690/688535.pdf Shelf Number: 149138 Keywords: Criminal Background Checks Criminal Records Dark Web Firearms Gun Control Policies Illegal FirearmsInternet Sales |