Gun Trafficking Rife in the Midwest

In a bid to reduce gun violence, the U.S. has launched five cross-jurisdictional strike forces to disrupt illegal firearms trafficking in key regions across the country. The regions targeted include New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area/Sacramento Region, and Washington, D.C.

The regional strike forces will be led by designated United States Attorneys, who will collaborate with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and with state and local law enforcement partners within their own jurisdiction, as well as law enforcement partners in areas where illegally trafficked guns originate.

According to gun trace data, a significant number of firearms recovered in Chicago originate from outside the city of Chicago, and many originate from Indiana, among other locations. The new strike force will help ensure sustained and focused coordination between law enforcement and prosecutors in Chicago with their counterparts in those other locations.

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland emphasized that guns found at crime scenes often come from hundreds or even thousands of miles away. He stated, ‘All too often, guns found at crime scenes come from hundreds or even thousands of miles away. We are redoubling our efforts as ATF works with law enforcement to track the movement of illegal firearms used in violent crimes. These strike forces enable sustained coordination across multiple jurisdictions to help disrupt the worst gun trafficking corridors.’

The strike forces represent one important step in implementing the U.S. Comprehensive Violent Crime Reduction Strategy, which was announced on May 26, 2021. The strategy supports local communities in preventing, investigating, and prosecuting gun violence and other violent crime.

The U.S. has taken several steps to address violent crime since April 2021. ATF proposed a new rule to help curb the proliferation of so-called ghost guns, and the Office of Justice Programs made clear when existing grant funds could be used to support Community Violence Intervention (CVI) programs. ATF also issued a notice of proposed rulemaking to update outdated firearms definitions and to help address the proliferation of ghost guns.

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