For the fictional character see Gunrunner (Transformers).

A tower of confiscated smuggled weapons about to be set ablaze in Nairobi, Kenya

Illegal arms trafficking, also known as Gunrunning, is trafficking in (smuggling) contraband weapons and ammunition.

[edit] Areas

Arms trafficking is most widespread in regions of political turmoil, but is not limited to such areas. For example, in South Asia, an estimated 63 million guns have been trafficked into India and Pakistan.^[1]

The suppression of gunrunning is one of the areas of increasing interest in the context of international law. Two examples of gunrunning are the Larne gun-running and Provisional IRA arms importation.^{[citation needed]}

Police in Karamoja have banned the sale and usage of packed and locally brewed gin to curb arms trafficking and deaths. The police arrested people involved in the gin business as well as dealing in ammunition. They found out that some business people that were selling gin have been hiding ammunitions in jerry cans and selling them to the Karimojong.

[edit] Market value

The total value of the illegal arms market is difficult to estimate. However, available estimates place the value of the arms trafficking market in the billions of dollars.^[2]

[edit] Legal trade

Arms trafficking is a crime and should not be confused with legal and legitimate commerce in firearms for private use, or for military or police procurement.^[3] What constitutes legal trade in firearms varies widely, depending on local and national laws.^[3]

[edit] See also

• Arms control
• Arms industry
• Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
• Firearm
• Gun politics
• Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
• International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL)
• Irish Mob
• Irregular Warfare
• Organized crime
• Russian Mafia
• Small arms
• Small Arms, Light Weapons (SALW)
• Terrorism
• Viktor Bout

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Arms Sales Monitoring Project at the Federation of American Scientists
• Small Arms and Bullets Trafficking Resources

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