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

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149 4.2.1 State Tracing Centers When a firearm is recovered at the scene of a crime, it must first be identified. If it can be determined where that firearm was manufactured, that State of manufacture can be contacted to provide information about that firearm. Because it is one of the leading firearms producing nations in the world, the US has developed a National Tracing Center (NTC) that accepts trace requests for US-source firearms from throughout the world. 3 The NTC, under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), is the only facility of its kind that is available 24 hours a day to receive trace requests for recovered US-source crime guns, which are US-manufactured firearms or foreign-manufactured firearms lawfully imported into the US and so marked. This tracing center maintains data on stolen firearms, firearms with obliterated serial numbers, firearms suspected to have been trafficked but not yet recovered in crime, multiple sales of firearms to the same individual, as well as over 300 million individual firearms transaction records from out-of-business dealers. ATF estimates that it now traces approximately 240,000 firearms annually. ATF’s NTC, therefore, serves as but one example of an institution that can play an important role in any State’s tracing system. 4 4.2.2 Interpol Interpol has over 170 offices throughout the world. It serves participating States by facilitating the exchange of information for circumstances in which a State-to-State trace request cannot be conducted. Interpol facilitates this function through its Terrorism and Violent Crime Division, which issues a request to one State on the behalf of another State. In a tracing scenario, a State with a recovered foreign firearm can request that the firearm be traced by the State of manufacture. Using Interpol offers a standardized method for requesting the trace. Each State acts on the request received from Interpol, using the system accessible within its governmental environment. In addition, Interpol also offers the Interpol Weapons and Explosives Tracking System (IWETS). IWETS is currently the only international analytical database designed to collate information on illegal firearms trafficking. IWETS offers support of a trace system through its function of tracking stolen and recovered weapons. In addition, it is anticipated that in
150 the future a firearm tracing query system would be added to this database, which will enhance Interpol’s tracing capabilities. 4.2.3 Industry and Trade Groups Some nations have established contacts with members of the firearms industry because the latter can provide assistance in the tracing of firearms. For example, ATF is electronically linked to several of the major firearms producers in the US, thereby permitting nearly instantaneous access on a 24-hour basis to important trace information from those producers. For example, once ATF receives a trace request involving one of these manufacturer’s firearms, ATF can access their records electronically to identify when the firearm was produced and to whom it was transferred. Consideration should be given to instituting a similar program for States seeking to support a more effective and timely tracing mechanism. 4.2.4 The United Nations The recent efforts of the UN to address the illicit manufacturing and trafficking in firearms and the misuse and proliferation of small arms and light weapons has provided impetus to those States seeking to establish a tracing mechanism to combat international firearms trafficking. The Protocol Against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition, supplementing the Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime, requires States to institute firearms marking and record-keeping systems for tracing purposes. 5 In addition, the Programme of Action that was agreed upon following the July 2001 Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects, provides additional encouragement and assistance to establish effective tracing systems for firearms. 6 These efforts by the UN serve an important supporting role insofar as member States are encouraged to implement the structures necessary to support an effective tracing system. For example, both of the above instruments call for the establishment of a single point of contact that can be used to facilitate a firearms trace request from one member State to another. Such a single point of contact can be tremendously helpful in light
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UNIDIR/2002/20 The Scope and Implic
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CONTENTS Page Preface. . . . . . .
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v Chapter 4 Structures and Institut
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viii point of diversion, thus inhib
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ACRONYMS ATFUS BATF BPA CFR CFR CIC
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xiii VIN WFSA WIES WR Vehicle Ident
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2 and lines of supply of illicit SA
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4 First, if a weapon has been invol
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6 The UN Programme of Action includ
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8 1.3 MARKING 1.3.1 Introduction A
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10 uniquely identify each productio
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12 • Ensure, at the time of trans
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14 • increasing the resistance of
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16 The UN Firearms Protocol, in its
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18 component of this project is to
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20 They clarify whether a weapon is
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22 Though such systems have great p
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24 have a more prominent role to pl
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26 That said, national intelligence
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28 training and technical assistanc
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30 This highlights one of the most
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32 An international tracing mechani
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34 Some of the necessary elements a
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36 on sources and lines of supply o
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38 In promoting international assis
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40 3 Programme of Action to Prevent
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42 25 This section draws on discuss
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45 BIBLIOGRAPHY Berkol, Ilhan, Mark
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CHAPTER 2 WHAT TO MARK AND WHAT TO
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49 tracing method for all SALW (con
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51 Figure 2: : The different sub-ca
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53 In order to better grasp the pro
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55 SALW include weapons of war, def
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57 The following questions should t
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59 All of this data, while useful f
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61 2.5 WHAT ARE THE CRITERIA FOR IN
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63 traced, but which ones? Precisel
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65 Table 1: Firearms recovered in c
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67 explosives belts and dozens of t
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69 This data provides an interestin
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71 weapons belonging to illicit cir
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73 imagine being able to effectivel
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75 case of Switzerland, it would be
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77 electronics in animal identifica
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79 based our reflection on goals fo
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81 10 Small Arms Survey, Annuaire s
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APPENDIX 1 83
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APPENDIX 3 85
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87 the army weapon is capable of au
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90 significance, hence in general t
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92 3.1.2 Sanitization Removal or ob
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94 Chinese Type 56-1 Unique Identif
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96 verify that the imported weapons
Page 111 and 112: 98 weapons. There are risks involve
Page 113 and 114: 100 China Type 56 Russia AK47 Russi
Page 115 and 116: 102 channels, with the protection o
Page 117 and 118: 104 3.1.9 Comments Countries seekin
Page 119 and 120: 106 as a result, potentially tip-of
Page 121 and 122: 108 2. All markings must be made pe
Page 123 and 124: 110 shared encryption standard. The
Page 125 and 126: 112 Domestic record-keeping varies
Page 127 and 128: 114 Nevertheless, whilst the Wassen
Page 129 and 130: 116 individual weapon, should as a
Page 131 and 132: 118 • “Consolidation”—4 x 2
Page 133 and 134: 120 With the scope of the Protocol
Page 135 and 136: 122 The South African authorities a
Page 137 and 138: 124 • (Tracing) Details of all st
Page 139 and 140: 126 tracing Chinese weapons. Conseq
Page 141 and 142: 128 circulating information by fax
Page 143 and 144: 130 Tracing requests are normally c
Page 145 and 146: 132 encourage countries along the t
Page 147 and 148: 134 close enough to provide adequat
Page 149 and 150: 136 3. If Interpol is not up to the
Page 151 and 152: 138 which restrict the amount of in
Page 153 and 154: 140 9 It was notable during negotia
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Page 157 and 158: 144 There are other reasons as well
Page 159 and 160: 146 Laws Firearms are a durable com
Page 161: 148 This last point should not be u
Page 165 and 166: 152 There are several important ele
Page 167 and 168: 154 Canada, nearly all transfers re
Page 169 and 170: 156 accuracy and man-hour effective
Page 171 and 172: 158 industry practices. An effectiv
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Page 175 and 176: 162 manner in national (and possibl
Page 177 and 178: 164 routine stockpile management. A
Page 179 and 180: 166 International regulations on th
Page 181 and 182: 168 2. The definitions of weapons,
Page 183 and 184: 170 enable national authorities to
Page 185 and 186: 172 serial number of the firearm. T
Page 187 and 188: 174 9. Explosives: the recommendati
Page 189 and 190: 176 • The States parties undertak
Page 191 and 192: 178 • The following is establishe
Page 193 and 194: 180 International regulations on th
Page 195 and 196: 182 • The participating States ag
Page 197 and 198: 184 The Convention on Plastic Explo
Page 199 and 200: 186 5.3.1 European Joint Action The
Page 201 and 202: 188 years in July 2001. In December
Page 203 and 204: 190 • States must make efforts to
Page 205 and 206: 192 a greater degree of harmonizati
Page 207 and 208: 194 this may lead to the undesirabl
Page 209 and 210: 196 28 Or at least difficult or imp
Page 211 and 212: 198 49 Speech by Mr. Koffi Adjouman
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200 in its capacity as President of
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202 Table 1: Scope of the Seven Pri
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204 Table 1 (continued) Characteris
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206 Characteristics of the marking
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208 Characteristics of the marking
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210 Characteristics of the recordke
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212 Characteristics of the record-k
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214 Table 4: Comparison of the Stan
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216 Characteristics of the exchange
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218
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