The Scope and Implications of a Tracing Mechanism for Small Arms ...

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Ammunition and explosives are included within the scope of the
present study, along with weapons parts and components. These are often
inseparable from other types of SALW in conflict and crime settings. In
principle and in practice, the need to trace the origins and lines of supply
of illicit ammunition and explosives is as great as for the weapons
themselves. However, this does not necessarily imply that detailed marking
and record-keeping practices and standards, for example, should be the
same for ammunition and explosives as for the weapons. This is clearly not
the case at present, and seems unlikely for the foreseeable future as well.
The category of SALW encompasses a wide range of weapons, even if
ammunition and explosives are not taken into account. Different types of
SALW tend to be more closely associated with particular crimes or
problems than others, depending on the region, and are often trafficked
through distinct mechanisms and routes. Different sub-categories of SALW
also pose specific challenges for marking, record-keeping and tracing.
Effective tracing, for example, will often make extensive use of information
extrinsic to the weapon, such as the circumstances in which it was seized,
as well as of marks on the weapon itself. 5
That said, it appears that definitions of SALW matter little to the issue
with which this study is primarily concerned—clarifying possibilities for
developing international standards and mechanisms for the effective tracing
of SALW. Law enforcement agencies and other relevant authorities should
generally be able to trace the illicit weapons, which they seize, irrespective
of exact definitions.
1.2.2 Tracing Small Arms and Light Weapons
The tracing of illicit SALW is the systematic process of tracking the
history of one or more weapons (or associated components or ammunition)
that have been discovered or seized—from their source (the manufacturer
or last legal importer), through the lines of supply, to the point at which they
were diverted into the illicit market, and hopefully ultimately to the person
or group that last possessed it. This tracing process will normally involve
examining existing records of legal possession and transfers, but often also
requires investigations involving personal interviews and other contacts.
There are two main reasons for tracing an illicit weapon.