Crime Federal report finds 68,000 guns were illegally trafficked through unlicensed dealers over 5 years

[LeonardoBjj]

BY LINDSAY WHITEHURST AND ALANNA DURKIN RICHER
Updated 6:32 PM BRT, April 4, 2024

WASHINGTON (AP) — More than 68,000 illegally trafficked firearms in the U.S. came through unlicensed dealers who aren’t required to perform background checks over a five-year period, according to new data released Thursday by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives.

That represents 54% of the illegally trafficked firearms in the U.S. between 2017 and 2021, Justice Department officials said. The guns were used in 368 shooting cases, which are harder to investigate because unlicensed dealers aren’t required to keep records of their sales that could allow federal agents to trace the weapon back to the original buyer, said ATF Director Steve Dettelbach.

The report ordered by Attorney General Merrick Garland is the first in-depth analysis of firearm trafficking investigations in more than 20 years. It examined more than 9,700 closed ATF firearm trafficking investigations that began between 2017 and 2021. Firearms trafficking is when guns are purposely moved into the illegal market for a criminal purpose or possession.

The second-highest share of firearm-trafficking cases investigated by ATF was straw purchases, when someone buys a gun for a person who can’t get it legally themselves.

The report also shows that the recipients of trafficked firearms were people who had previously been convicted of a felony in almost 60 percent of the cases in which investigators were able to identify the background of the recipient. Furthermore, trafficked firearms were used to commit additional crimes in almost 25 percent of the cases, Dettelbach said. That includes more than 260 murders and more than 220 attempted murders, according to the report.

“The data shows, therefore, that those who illegally traffic firearms whether its out of a trunk, at a gun show or online are responsible for real violence in this nation,” Dettelbach said. “In short, you can’t illegally help to arm nonviolent people and not be responsible for the violence that follows,” he said.

The report found the average number of guns trafficked per case was 16. People who got them through unlicensed dealers bought 20 weapons on average, compared to 11 guns for straw buyers, according to the report.

The Biden administration has separately proposed a rule that would require thousands more gun sellers to get licensed and run background checks. The Justice Department says it’s aimed at sellers who are in the business of firearm sales, but the proposal quickly drew protest from gun-rights groups who contend it could ensnare regular people who sometimes sell their own guns.

https://apnews.com/article/firearms...s-unlicensed-fd07592977bf4512e742513bb68aea7f

 

[cottagecheesefan]

How much of it was thanks to Obama, Biden, and operation fast and furious? Traitors

And yes I realize the time are under trumps admin, but doesn’t matter is Obama supplied them prior, they going to be trafficked around after being put in circulation

 

[Snubnoze707]

So gun laws don't work. Got it.

 

[LangfordBarrow]

How much of it was thanks to Obama, Biden, and operation fast and furious? Traitors

And yes I realize the time are under trumps admin, but doesn’t matter is Obama supplied them prior, they going to be trafficked around after being put in circulation

Lame excuse. Pretty sure those loopholes have been around since before either of them were President so I wouldn't blame either. It does look like it's time for new legislation to close those loopholes. Dealers could be required to facilitate private sales for a small fee.

 

[LangfordBarrow]

So gun laws don't work. Got it.

 

[spamking]

Dealers could be required to facilitate private sales for a small fee.

Many of us already do this if we're asked to do so. The issue is how would this get enforced without a National gun registry.

The argument against all of this is that after legally purchasing something a person shouldn't need permission to resell. Even without the BGC requirements, it's illegal to knowingly sell to a prohibited possessor or assist with a straw purchase.

 

[terrapin]

Sounds like some common sense laws could really help here with stopping violent crime and tracking criminals. I'm sure the law and order crowd will be all for it!!

I've got three guns and have no problem being required to disclose who I sell them to should I ever sell them. No different than selling a car in my opinion.

 

[nhbbear]

Gun owners want this fixed in my experience. Fix it and if it is illegal, hammer these dealers with 25 years no early release. They are merchants of death. Same with those that use them. 25-life no early release-but I have seen felons using firearms and hitting someone get 12 months plus 1 day sentences. We called it the 12+1 sentence and it’s pathetic.

 

[LangfordBarrow]

Many of us already do this if we're asked to do so. The issue is how would this get enforced without a National gun registry.

The argument against all of this is that after legally purchasing something a person shouldn't need permission to resell. Even without the BGC requirements, it's illegal to knowingly sell to a prohibited possessor or assist with a straw purchase.

I know about the Nazi argument but at this point guns should be registered just like cars. It you find a lost car or a lost gun you should be able to track down the owner.

 

[spamking]

I know about the Nazi argument but at this point guns should be registered just like cars. It you find a lost car or a lost gun you should be able to track down the owner.

Hard disagree on gun registration. Gun owners should be reporting lost/stolen guns.

 

[spamking]

Sounds like some common sense laws could really help here with stopping violent crime and tracking criminals. I'm sure the law and order crowd will be all for it!!

I've got three guns and have no problem being required to disclose who I sell them to should I ever sell them. No different than selling a car in my opinion.

Common sense laws such as?

Nothing is stopping you from working with an FFL to facilitate a documented private sale now . . .

 

[oldshadow]

If you sell mote then a certain number of guns a month you should be required to have and FFL. There should be exceptions such as an estate sale. Also should not include antique weapons.

Now let's talk about the punishment for illegal sales for both sellers and buyers because that's where the real problem is. That is the lack of punishment.

 

[LangfordBarrow]

Hard disagree on gun registration. Gun owners should be reporting lost/stolen guns.

Is the reason so the Feds can't come knocking on gun owners' doors to confiscate them? It seems unreasonable for people to be able to sell guns to anyone without a way to track the transaction.

 

[panamaican]

Hard disagree on gun registration. Gun owners should be reporting lost/stolen guns.

Which only works if those guns are legitimately lost or stolen. Which, at least according to this article, is not the case. The purchases are happening via illegal means.

Unfortunately, I think a registry for the guns themselves has to happen at some point. Every manufacturer will have to individual number their production outputs and register those serial numbers somewhere. In the event that a firearm is used in a crime and we can obtain that weapon, we can backtrack it to the last known sale and attach liability at that point.

It will suck for some but it will also force owners and dealers to take a greater share of responsibility for their position in the market. If it's a legitimate theft and the owner reported it, fine. But if it's a straw purchase and the buyer lies about it being stolen, we can assume that the criminal who purchased it will gladly flip on the seller to avoid adding a gun theft charge on top of whatever other crime.

I don't think there's ever going to be a realistic position where gun owners don't have to take more responsibility for what happens with gun driven crime in the country. Especially if they want to defang more attempts to curtail purchases by legit buyers and owners.

 

[HomeCheese]

Seems like a low number, I bet the actual figure is much higher.

 

[jk7707]

Many of us already do this if we're asked to do so. The issue is how would this get enforced without a National gun registry.

The argument against all of this is that after legally purchasing something a person shouldn't need permission to resell. Even without the BGC requirements, it's illegal to knowingly sell to a prohibited possessor or assist with a straw purchase.

And how is one supposed to know if someone is a "prohibited possessor" without a background check? The honor system?

 

[nonoob]

Lame excuse. Pretty sure those loopholes have been around since before either of them were President so I wouldn't blame either. It does look like it's time for new legislation to close those loopholes. Dealers could be required to facilitate private sales for a small fee.

"Fast and Furious" operation, POtuS's AG Holder allegedly provided thousands of fully automatic weapons to criminals with no repercussions at all, even after being used in murdering Border Patrol agents.

 

[irish_thug]

Is the reason so the Feds can't come knocking on gun owners' doors to confiscate them? It seems unreasonable for people to be able to sell guns to anyone without a way to track the transaction.

Canada has had registration for handguns, and short barrelled rifles for decades. In the nineties they expanded the registration to include long guns. They estimated the cost would be about 1 million dollars, ended up costing over 2 billion. now extrapolate that for American population and gun ownership.

Hold individuals responsible and prosecute where appropriate.

 

[spamking]

Which only works if those guns are legitimately lost or stolen.

I understand that. I was responding directly to a comment from @LangfordBarrow that mentioned finding a lost car or a lost gun you should be able to track down the owner.

Which, at least according to this article, is not the case. The purchases are happening via illegal means.

Stolen firearms and straw purchases are related but separate issues. You can't necessarily address one and also address the other.

Unfortunately, I think a registry for the guns themselves has to happen at some point. Every manufacturer will have to individual number their production outputs and register those serial numbers somewhere. In the event that a firearm is used in a crime and we can obtain that weapon, we can backtrack it to the last known sale and attach liability at that point.

Manufacturers are required to keep a record of firearms they produce with their serial numbers now. They track them in their acquisition and disposition books when sold to a distributor and the distributor does the same when sold to an FFL. We have to keep our A&D book up-to-date with this same information when the firearm is transferred. The FBI traces the firearm using this information already during their investigations.

It will suck for some but it will also force owners and dealers to take a greater share of responsibility for their position in the market.

If an owner sells something privately that isn't against local or federal law they're already being responsible. I believe 20 states currently have a state law in place requiring all private sales to go through an FFL for the BGC and to document the sale.

If it's a legitimate theft and the owner reported it, fine. But if it's a straw purchase and the buyer lies about it being stolen, we can assume that the criminal who purchased it will gladly flip on the seller to avoid adding a gun theft charge on top of whatever other crime.

People who buy several firearms but never seem to keep them can be a problem. That's what got the Malinowski dude in trouble. But not every one of them is buying and then selling to a felon or other prohibited possessor. I agree that habitual straw purchasers need to be addressed.

I don't think there's ever going to be a realistic position where gun owners don't have to take more responsibility for what happens with gun driven crime in the country. Especially if they want to defang more attempts to curtail purchases by legit buyers and owners.

There are plenty of responsible gun owners who do more than our fair share of "taking responsibility". I don't know that there is much more we can do that will please those who seem to only want to implement more requirements and control.

 

[spamking]

Is the reason so the Feds can't come knocking on gun owners' doors to confiscate them? It seems unreasonable for people to be able to sell guns to anyone without a way to track the transaction.

I'm not so worried about anything I own being confiscated as much as not wanting the government to have any additional insight into what I own. If the government develops an information system many times they're subject to FOIA requests and/or stand the chance of being made public. It's happened a few times that I'm aware of already.

I'd be curious how many private sales still happen without a BGC in one of the 20 states with "universal" BGCs.