The Justice Department today announced the publication of Firearm Trafficking Investigations, the third volume of the National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment (NFCTA). This four-part series provides a thorough investigation of weapons trafficking and diversion to illicit markets. This volume, which incorporates observations from a countrywide survey of ATF special agents, presents the first complete examination of firearm trafficking investigations in more than 20 years.
The research delves into 9,708 closed ATF firearm trafficking investigations that were initiated between fiscal years 2017 and 2021. In April 2021, Attorney General Garland directed the ATF to launch its first thorough research on illicit gun trafficking, which addresses the deliberate transportation of weapons into unlawful markets for criminal purposes or possession.
What is the NFCTA (National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment)?
The NFCTA, or National Weapons Commerce and Trafficking Assessment, is a critical program spearheaded by the United States Department of Justice to investigate the complex dynamics of weapons commerce and trafficking in the country. This multidimensional study includes a thorough examination of how firearms travel via legal and illegal routes, providing significant insights into patterns of acquisition, distribution, and misuse. The NFCTA allows law enforcement authorities to collect important data necessary for developing effective tactics to combat illicit firearm operations and protect public safety.
At its foundation, the NFCTA is a determined effort to close the information gap regarding weapon proliferation and misuse. This evaluation, which synthesizes information from diverse sources and conducts thorough analyses, provides a foundation for understanding the intricacies of firearm trafficking networks and their negative impact on communities. The NFCTA’s holistic methodology allows policymakers and law enforcement agencies to effectively allocate resources, develop targeted interventions, and establish evidence-based policies aimed at combating illicit firearms trafficking and reducing gun violence throughout the country.
DOJ Officials Respond to NFCTA Findings on Illegal Firearms Trafficking
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland highlighted the worrying trend noted in the NCTFA report, saying, “The rise in black-market guns sold by unlicensed dealers without background checks found at crime scenes is concerning.” He emphasized the Justice Department’s proactive approach, highlighting a proposed regulation under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to clarify licensing requirements for gun dealers and the aggressive implementation of new laws to prevent illegal gun trafficking and straw purchases. Garland expressed gratitude to ATF professionals for their dedication and emphasized the importance of their work in delivering the most comprehensive insights into America’s crime gun data in over two decades.
“Thanks to the hard work of ATF, we now have fresh data and cutting-edge insights from the NCTFA on the key drivers of illegal firearms trafficking,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Among other trends, the report demonstrates the high frequency of traffickers selling firearms without a license to circumvent federal law, as well as the widespread impact of straw purchasers concealing the true recipients of illegally diverted firearms.” This report will assist agents and prosecutors in focusing investigations, prosecuting offenders, and reducing gun violence.
ATF Director Highlights Key Findings and Strategies in Landmark Firearms Trafficking Survey
“This survey represents an unprecedented effort by the ATF’s numerous expert gun trafficking agents to delve into the complexities of their casework,” said ATF Director Steven Dettelbach. “It is critical for Americans to grasp this NCTFA data to understand and properly handle the threat. Our findings highlight the growing involvement of persons illegally performing unlicensed firearms transactions, which exacerbates the influx of weapons into the black market, where convicts, gang affiliations, and other violent offenders commonly obtain firearms.”
“It is critical to understand that illegal gun trafficking is far from victimless. Those who illegally facilitate the arming of violent individuals are responsible for the resulting carnage. The ATF faces this public safety dilemma on a daily basis, as illustrated by the study of thousands of ATF cases in this volume. My congratulations go out to the devoted men and women of ATF and our valued partners for their unrelenting commitment to creating this pivotal study and their tenacity in relentlessly pursuing these cases.”
Key Data Points Unveiled in NFCTA: Insights into Firearms Trafficking Trends
One of the significant findings from the NCTFA review is the increased use of intelligence to launch trafficking investigations. From 2017 to 2021, referrals to the Crime Gun Intelligence Centre (CGIC) climbed by approximately 20%, while the usage of Confidential Informants to commence cases decreased by 9%. This data highlights the importance of CGICs, which are law enforcement hubs dedicated solely to investigating and reducing gun violence in local communities.
They bring together the expertise of state and federal investigators, firearms evidence examiners, and intelligence analysts to quickly collect, analyze, and share information and leads about guns used in violent crimes, as well as to disrupt and dismantle firearm trafficking. The ATF operates and supports more than 60 CGICs nationwide.
Another crucial data point from the NCTFA shows a shift in the sorts of supply lines, or trafficking channels, utilized to carry firearms from lawful trade to the illegal market during the last two decades. Investigations into corrupt federal firearms licensees (FFLs) dropped over the study period, with the most common pathways now identified as unlawful, unlicensed firearm trafficking by private individuals and straw purchasing, which occurs when someone buys a gun for someone who is barred.
Analyzing Trends and Key Findings in Firearms Trafficking: Insights from Volume III of NCTFA
The NFCTA report also identified trends in the sources and channels of firearm trafficking. Notably, 56% of the cases investigated included intrastate trafficking, with 32% involving interstate trafficking. Except for the northeast, where interstate trafficking reigned supreme, intrastate trafficking was the norm.
These findings are consistent with Volume II, which found that, while 72% of traced crime firearms are recovered in the state where they were purchased from a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL), specific states and localities continue to be hotspots for firearm traffickers. The Attorney General established five weapons trafficking strike forces in July 2021 because of the cross-jurisdictional intricacy of the issue, which involves guns purchased in one state and transferred to another for use in criminal activities.
Further insights from the study period include:
- The three most common federal law violations identified were: (1) dealing in firearms without a license, (2) providing false information to an FFL (often associated with straw purchasing), and (3) possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
- Unlicensed dealers’ trafficked firearms were implicated in 368 shooting incidents.
- Trafficked firearms were linked to 265 homicides, 222 attempted homicides, and 446 aggravated assaults.
- Handguns accounted for over half (nearly 56%) of trafficked firearms, followed by rifles at nearly 19%.
- On average, 16 firearms were trafficked per case.
- In nearly 58% of cases, five or fewer firearms were trafficked.
- The majority of traffickers facilitating firearm movement were white (53%), male (84%), and U.S. citizens (95%).
- Recipients of trafficked firearms tended to be previously convicted felons (60%) and young adults aged 25 to 34 (48%).
- The annual percentage of juvenile (17 and under) end-users rose by almost 10% between 2017 and 2021.
Advancing Understanding and Collaboration: Concluding Insights from NFCTA Volumes
In February 2023, the Department published Volume II of the NFCTA, titled Crime Gun Intelligence and Analysis. This volume examines data on crime guns (firearms used in criminal activity) collected between 2017 and 2021. The report emphasizes the critical relevance of the ATF’s unique criminal gun tracking authority, as well as the importance of data obtained through the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) program.
In May 2022, the Department released Volume I of the NFCTA, titled Firearms in Commerce. This volume presents and investigates statistics collected by the ATF and other federal agencies on weapon manufacturing, exportation, and importation.
The NFCTA was established in partnership with the ATF, which assembled a team of subject matter specialists from within the agency as well as academia and related sectors. While the ATF publishes many public and law enforcement reports and bulletins on firearm trade, trafficking, and related issues on an annual basis, the NFCTA is the first cooperative academic research project of this magnitude in more than 20 years.
