Title: The Illicit Firearms Trade in North America
Publication Date: August 2009
What does it say?
This article reviews the regulatory structures governing guns in the United States, Mexico, and Canada and examines existing data on inter-country gun trafficking.
The researchers conclude that “handguns smuggled from the USA constitute a large but unknown share of handguns used in crime in Canada, and that the USA is likely the main source of crime guns to Mexico, especially in the northern border states.”
They also conclude that the regular and repeated use of the same gun dealers on the U.S. side of the Mexican border suggests that gun trafficking from the U.S. to Mexico is organized around specific scofflaw dealers and trafficking organizations.
Finally, in recognition that existing data on gun trafficking is limited, the authors call for the release of data on gun trafficking investigations and gun tracing.
How can I use it?
This analysis adds to the evidence base that weak U. S. gun laws contribute to gun trafficking to Mexico and Canada. Its findings can be used to advocate for background checks for all gun sales in the U.S., including those at gun shows, and to repeal the Tiahrt Amendment that restricts researchers’ access to crime gun data.
Citation
Cook, Philip J., Wendy Cukier, and Keith Krause, ”The Illicit Firearms Trade in North America,” Criminology and Criminal Justice 9(3) (2009):265-286