GAGV is launching Global News on Gun Violence to shine a light on how gun violence, and gun trafficking in particular, fuel harm in communities in the U.S. and around the world.
Gun violence is a global crisis. The same irresponsible practices and bad actors that fuel violence on U.S. streets also feed a deadly pipeline of trafficked firearms into communities throughout the Americas and beyond. Global Action on Gun Violence believes that ending this crisis requires action on every front: in courtrooms, legislatures, and international forums around the world. That means understanding the full scope of the problem.
This resource hub is designed to support the advocates, journalists, policymakers, researchers, and engaged citizens working to do exactly that. Updated monthly, it compiles the latest news sources on international gun trafficking and gun violence — including prevention efforts, legislation, and landmark litigation from around the globe.
The fight to hold the gun industry accountable doesn’t stop at the border. Neither do we.
The following list will continuously be updated but it does not constitute a comprehensive list of all relevant gun trafficking stories and events. It includes stories from January 2026 to present.
1. Gun Trafficking
- Boise Man Sentence to 3 Years for Dealing Firearms without a License (U.S. Department of Justice, May 27)
- 7 sentenced in massive Central Florida gun trafficking ring (News6, April 22)
- Firearm trafficking case highlights gang violence in Spokane (The Spokesman-Review, April 20)
- Four gang members sentenced to prison after “Operation Sob Story” investigates an illegal drugs/firearms network (U.S. Department of Justice, April 6)
- Former Marlborough MA man sentenced in federal gun case. What’s next (Metrowest Daily News, April 6)
- Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Straw Purchase Crime (U.S. Department of Justice, March 26)
- ‘ATF is watching you’: 80-year-old Keene gun store worker admits to warning suspected traffickers (WMUR9, March 25)
- Dorchester Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms Trafficking (U.S. Department of Justice, March 23)
- 3 facing charges in federal gun trafficking case from Georgia to DC (WSB-TV, March 19)
- Texas man caught trying to re-sell military-grade sniper rifles purchased in Colorado (CBS, February 3)
- Jamaican National Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Firearms from the U.S. (U.S. Department of Justice, May 13)
- U.S. Gun Pipeline To Caribbean Exposed As Teacher Sentenced For Trafficking Weapons To Trinidad (News Americas Now, March 16)
- Customs get specialist training to curb illegal gun trafficking (Barbados Today, March 16)
- Caribbean customs seized over 500 illegal firearms in three-week operation (Stabroek News, March 15)
- Former Hillsborough teacher sentenced in Caribbean gun-smuggling operation (WWSB, March 13)
- Human rights court calls on governments to crack down on weapons trafficking (International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, March 12)
- Caribbean trafficking: Leader of criminal organization sentenced to nearly 5 years for firearms smuggling conspiracy (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, March 2)
- Major firearms and ammunition seizure in Tope Range, Kingston (Jamaica Observer, February 27)
- Leader of Transnational Criminal Organization Extradited from Jamaica Sentenced to 57 Months in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Smuggle Firearms to Trinidad and Tobago (U.S. Department of Justice, February 25)
- U.S.-Caribbean Cooperation to Disrupt Illicit Firearms Trafficking (US Department of State, February 25)
- Charlotte man sentenced to 7 years for international gun trafficking (WSOC-TV, February 17)
- Transnational organised crime biggest security threat to Caribbean, says Jamaica’s ambassador (Caribbean Diaspora News, February 10)
- How Corruption Fuels Arms Diversion in Latin America (InSight Crime, May 1st 2025)
- Jacksonville Woman Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Smuggling Firearms from United States to Haiti (U.S. Department of Justice, May 28)
- Haiti court orders Episcopal Church leaders, ex-officials to stand trial in arms trafficking case (The Haitian Times, April 29)
- U.S. prosecutors present assault rifles tied to Moïse assassination in Haiti (Miami Herald, March 19)
- Explainer: Organized crime and gang violence in Haiti (UN Office on Drugs and Crime, January 21)
- PNH reports dozens of weapons seized as anti-gang operations expand (The Haitian Times, January 14)
- They shipped high-powered ammo, guns to Haiti from Miami, federal prosecutors say (Miami Herald, January 6)
- Haitian Nationals Charged With Unlawfully Smuggling Firearms From United States (U.S. Department of Justice, January 6)
- Arizona Woman Indicted after Allegedly Attempting to Smuggle Firearms, RPG Launcher Tube into Mexico (U.S. Department of Justice, May 19)
- Feds: Guns bought in Georgia were headed to Mexico (Fox 5, Atlanta, May 14)
- Caldwell County man helped traffic 2 dozen weapons into Mexico: US Attorney (Fox 7 Austin, May 4)
- Arizona gun shop owner faces terrorism-related charges for allegedly selling high-caliber weapons bound for Mexican cartels (International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, April 30)
- 200 ‘high-powered weapons of war’ purchased in Georgia for Mexican cartels (WSB-TV 2, April 29)
- 4 men charged in cartel-linked drug and gun smuggling ring in California (CBS, April 14)
- A Mexican Cartel Leader and Ex-Partner to El Mencho Pleads Guilty in U.S. (New York Times, April 9)
- Cartel violence is driving Mexican migration to the U.S., data show (nj.com, April 6)
- A Federal Indictment Links Cartels to U.S. Firearms Networks (Small Wars Journal by Arizona State University, March 27)
- Arizona guns are fueling a drug cartel war in Mexico (Phoenix New Times, March 26)
- Gun Store Owner Indicted for Conspiracy and Attempting to Provide Material Support to Designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations (U.S. Department of Justice, March 25)
- Inside the Supply Line Delivering American Guns to Mexican Cartels (New York Times, March 17)
- Smugglers Continue Flooding Mexico With Weapons Despite Chatter About Crackdown: ‘No One Stops You Unless You Run a Red Light’ (Latin Times, March 17)
- Guns, ‘accessories’ found in San Antonio home destined for Mexican drug cartel (Border Report, Mar 13)
- Arming The Cartels: Where Mexico’s Criminal Organizations Get Their Weapons (Military.com, March 12)
- Mexican national sentenced in Texas for trafficking guns into Mexico (FOX8, Mar 9)
- Mexican National Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Firearms to Mexico (U.S. Department of Justice, March 9)
- Thousands Of Rounds Of Ammo Headed To Mexico Seized Inside a Car In Arizona (The Latin Times, March 6)
- Made-in-America Guns Are Fueling Death and Destruction in Mexico (The Intercept, February 28)
- North Carolina Family Members Plead Guilty to Trafficking Firearms to Mexican Cartel (U.S. Department of Justice, February 25)
- How the ‘iron river’ fed El Mencho’s stockpile of weapons from the US (USA Today, February 23)
- McAllen man convicted of illegally purchasing .50 caliber weapon for Mexican drug trafficking organization (U.S. Department of Justice, February 19)
- Sniper rifles among 69 firearms linked to alleged ‘straw purchases’ (Border Report, February 13)
- Recruitment through social media and $14,000 payments: How a network sends trafficked weapons from Arizona to Mexico (El PAIS English, February 13)
- Nine Charged with Conspiracy to Straw Purchase Firearms (U.S. Department of Justice, January 30)
- Illegal alien sentenced for gun trafficking in Eastern District of Texas (U.S. Department of Justice, January 22)
- Arms Smuggling Ring Supplying Turkish Crime Groups Busted (Tovima, May 25)
- Growing Demand for Weapons Turns Albania into Hub for Smuggled Arms (Balkan Insight, April 9)
- Man charged with firearms offences after Dover counter-terror police arrest (The Guardian, April 1)
- Four arrested in international gun trafficking probe in Netherlands (NL Times, February 28)
- EU targets firearms trafficking with tough penalties, rules on 3D printing (Brussels Times, February 27)
- EU takes aim at trafficking of illicit firearms (European Commission, February 26)
- Paris prosecutor calls for trial over alleged arms trafficking with far-right links (RFI, February 12)
- Firearms Trafficking Directive (Europäisches Parlament, January 23)
- 3D-Printed Weapons: An Emerging Problem in Southeast Asia? (The Diplomat, May 1)
- Delhi Police arrest two key operatives in ISI-sponsored gun smuggling network at IGI Airport (The Tribune India, April 6)
- Houston straw purchasing ring charged with smuggling firearms to North Korea (U.S. Department of Justice, January 9)
- Iranian American woman arrested in Los Angeles for alleged arms trafficking (The Guardian, April 2026)
- Operation Kafo VI leads to seizures of thousands of illicit weapons and drugs across the Sahel (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, March 2026)
- Two charged with weapons, drugs offences after police raid rural properties (9news, May 14)
- Arrest at Gawler leads to drugs, firearms and cash (South Australia Police, May 2026)
- Man charged over failed firearm importation, police appeal for assistance to locate another man (Australian Federal Police, January 2026)
2. International Law
- International Bill of Human Rights
- Convention on the Rights of the Child
- Arms Trade Treaty
- Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat, and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (2001)
- Wassenaar Arrangement (1995)
- Inter-American Convention Against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials