Illicit Arms Trafficking Definition


Programme of Action to Combat the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons Although there is little data on the arms trade in the United States, some indicators of the arms trade can be collected by analyzing ATF data on weapons seized and traced in the context of violent crime to determine their origin. One of these indicators is the «time to crime,» which is the time between the first purchase of a weapon in retail stores and its use in a crime. Since the purchase of a firearm shortly before it is used in a crime indicates that it was purchased for that purpose, law enforcement officials consider that weapons with a period of three years or less are susceptible to trafficking. Nationally, 110,700 seized crime weapons had shortly before the crime in 2019, up from 46,755 in 2012, an increase of 137%.9 However, states vary widely when it comes to average crime time, suggesting that some states have a bigger problem than others when it comes to arms trafficking. A 2018 analysis by The Trace found that Nevada, Missouri and Virginia were the states that exported the highest proportion of handguns one year old or younger. [10] Less is known about the top-secret arms traffickers supplying the Sudan People`s Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) rebel movement, led by Riek Machar, than about the fact that the majority of gunslingers appeared to be Europeans. [14] A rare exception is the French-Polish arms dealer Pierre Dadak, who died on July 14. In July 2016, he was arrested at his villa in Ibiza for fleeing to South Sudan. [14] In his villa, the Spanish National Police claimed to have found documents showing that he had negotiated the sale of 40,000 AK-47 Machar assault rifles, 30,000 PKM machine guns, and 200,000 boxes of ammunition.

[14] Arms diversion is also done through private arms sales, which do not require background checks. Under applicable federal law, licensed firearms dealers are required to conduct a background check prior to each firearms sale. However, people who do not hold such a licence can sell weapons without background checks. While 22 states and the District of Columbia have taken steps to close this gap and require background checks for these private sales, 28 states still do not have these requirements.6 This means that individuals who are prohibited from purchasing and possessing a firearm – such as a violent crime conviction or a history of domestic violence – can easily access a firearm through the Private sales bias, then use it. trafficking in human beings. Channels. The AK-47 is one of the most attractive weapons in the illegal arms trade due to its low cost and reliability. [21] In Iraq, a smuggled AK-47 typically costs between $150 and $300. During the first six months of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the influx of new weapons drove down the price of the AK-47, to the point that the weapon sold for as little as $25 or sometimes nothing.

[22] In comparison, AK-47s sold on the dark web in the United States can cost up to $3,600,[23] as the price of illegal weapons is dramatically increased due to the risk induced by the distance they have to travel. A handgun smuggled into Canada from the United States can increase its price by 560% if it only crosses the border. [24] Weapons smuggled abroad typically make several short trips with several companies to conceal the country of origin and sellers of origin. [25] The Liberian government received weapons from a sophisticated front company in Guinea. The weapons were to be shipped (legally) from Uganda to Slovakia. However, the weapons were diverted to Guinea as part of a «sophisticated bait and switch». [12] In addition, the British government encouraged «Sandline International, a private security company and non-governmental entity, to supply arms and ammunition to forces loyal to President Kabbah`s government-in-exile.» [13] Sandline transported 35 tons of weapons from Bulgaria to Kabbah forces. [12] Arms trafficking or arms trafficking is the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons and smuggled ammunition that is part of a wide range of illicit activities often associated with transnational criminal organizations.

The illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, unlike other organized crime goods, is more closely linked to the exercise of power in communities than to economic gain. [1] Researchers estimate that illicit arms sales amount to more than $1 billion annually. [2] Amnesty International has named the US, Russia, France, Germany and China as the top five authorized arms exporters; and India, Egypt, Australia, Algeria and Saudi Arabia as the top five importers of authorized arms (Amnesty International). While cross-border flows of small arms and light weapons serve as an indicator for understanding the sequence of illicit firearms trafficking between suppliers, brokers and users, black markets take place at the regional or local level and occur mainly in conflict zones where the demand for unauthorized weapons is at stake (Small Arms Survey). From February 1913 to February 1914, President Woodrow Wilson imposed an arms embargo on both sides of the Mexican Civil War, and it was not until February 1914 that the embargo on arms sales to constitutionalist rebels was lifted. [11]:31 Despite the arms embargo, there have been numerous shootings in Mexico, as one U.S. official complained in 1913: «Our border towns are practically their depots of commissioners and quartermasters.» [11]: 31 weapons were smuggled into Mexico via barrels, coffins and raised car bottoms. [11]: 31 General Huerta circumvents the US arms embargo by buying arms from Germany.

[11]: 154 weapons from the United States are also frequently smuggled to other parts of the world.