INTERPOLS FIREARMS PROGRAMME ADDRESSING FIREARMS TRAFFICKING - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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ADDRESSING FIREARMS TRAFFICKING

INTERPOL’S FIREARMS PROGRAMME

INTERPOL For official use only

Elements defining firearms trafficking:

• Illegal/not authorized movement of firearms
• Not defined by the number of trafficked firearms
• May occur nationally as well as internationally
• Trafficking in firearms parts is still considered as

firearms trafficking

• Feeds illegal firearms possession

WHAT IS FIREARMS TRAFFICKING?

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• Many

countries don’t think they have a trafficking/gun problem, and even in the cases where they do, many don’t know how to combat it

• We

need to refocus

• ur

ideas

• f

firearms investigations: the primary goal of a firearms investigation is to identify and prosecute the trafficker (the source of your gun problem)

• Until proven otherwise, a crime gun is part of a

larger scheme, and not just an isolated piece of evidence

• Coordination

among investigators and forensic science counterparts should follow a Protocol for all crime guns recovered in their jurisdiction in order to generate and maximize the investigative leads

• Investigators/NCBs

should populate and query available firearms databases

UNLESS TRAFFICKING IS ADDRESSED IT CAN RARELY BE SOLVED

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• Historically,

firearms trafficking was not perceived as an issue

• National legislations
• Lack of will or resources to address firearms

trafficking

• Origin of illicit firearms

WHY IS IT DIFFICULT TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE?

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FIREARMS PROGRAMME’S CAPABILITIES

The INTERPOL illicit Arms Records and tracing Management System (iARMS)

PREVENTING TERRORISM THROUGH COMBATING TRANSNATIONAL FIREARMS TRAFFICKING

The INTERPOL Ballistic Information Network (IBIN)

LINKING BALLISTICS EVIDENCE INTERNATIONALLY

ü Allows for traceability, for the identification

• f

the last legal

• wner of the firearm as well as the

point in time when the firearm slipped into the illegal market ! ü The combined analysis of IBIN and iARMS data is likely to significantly increase the ability of law enforcement agencies to prevent and combat firearm-related crimes, particularly through the identification of firearms traffickers and other criminals !

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Firearms Recovery Protocol

1. Law Enforcement work

Step 1: National firearms registry search and lost/stolen database search Step 2: iARMS Search/Trace (international search of lost, stolen, and trafficked/ smuggled firearms) Step 3: Evidence Recovery and Suspect Interview

2. Forensic Laboratory work

Step 4-5: Latent fingerprint examination of firearm (in close coordination with DNA experts) Step 4-5: DNA examination of firearm (in close coordination with fingerprint experts) Step 6: National and/or International IBIN ballistic comparison of cartridge casings / bullets

3. Coordination

Step 7: Gather the data collected from Steps 1 to 6 to develop investigative leads Step 8: Provide the investigators with the immediately known intelligence Step 9: Analyse the intelligence generated for indicators of firearms trafficking INTERPOL Firearms Programme’s powerful tools / databases

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IBIN SEARCH PROTOCOL

The INTERPOL Ballistic Information Network should always be considered for recoveries of crime guns and cartridge casings, and test-fired cartridge casings for:

• All recoveries within 80 kilometers of international border;
• All recoveries by customs or border officials;
• All recoveries made on a suspected trafficker of any type of

contraband (drugs, documents, guns, etc.);

• All recoveries of three or more firearms;
• All recoveries related to terrorist activities; and
• All recoveries made from a person with a residence in another

country.

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For further information, please contact

The INTERPOL Firearms Programme j.hageman@interpol.int I24/7 communication network f.chande@interpol.int (for iARMS) mj.cantinelli@interpol.int (for IBIN)