Gun Trafficking Strike Forces Launched to Combat Violent Crime

Crime soars as US Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced the launch of five cross-jurisdictional strike forces to combat gun trafficking and reduce violent crime in key regions across the country.

The strike forces, led by designated United States Attorneys, will disrupt illegal firearms trafficking in key regions, including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area/Sacramento Region, and Washington, D.C.

“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,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland.

The strike forces represent one important, concrete step in implementing the Attorney General’s Comprehensive Violent Crime Reduction Strategy, which was announced on May 26, 2021. The comprehensive strategy supports local communities in preventing, investigating, and prosecuting gun violence and other violent crime—and requires U.S. Attorneys’ offices to work with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement, as well as the communities they serve, to address the most significant drivers of violence in their districts.

Since April 2021, the DOJ has taken several steps to reduce and prevent violent crime, especially the gun crime that is often at the core of the problem. These steps include announcing four concrete steps for addressing gun violence, issuing a notice of proposed rulemaking to update outdated firearms definitions, and announcing the Department’s comprehensive strategy to reduce violent crime.

The strike forces will work closely with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and state and local law enforcement partners to identify patterns, leads, and potential suspects in violent gun crimes. They will use the latest data, evidence, and intelligence from crime scenes to inform their efforts.

The launch of these strike forces marks a significant effort by the Attorney General to combat gun trafficking and reduce violent crime in key regions across the country.

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