cuchulainn
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from the West Australian
http://www.thewest.com.au/20030710/news/state/tw-news-state-home-sto104490.html
http://www.thewest.com.au/20030710/news/state/tw-news-state-home-sto104490.html
ACC to probe illegal gun trade
By Luke Morfesse
GROWING concerns about the black market trade in handguns will see the weapons become the focus of an inquiry by the Australian Crime Commission into illegal firearms trafficking.
The Australian Institute of Criminology claims that between 1994 and 2000 more than 25,000 firearms were reported stolen nationally. Of the 4200 guns stolen in Australia each year, almost 600 are handguns.
According to the institute, 475 handguns were stolen in WA between 1994 and 2000. Gun Control Australia claims there are up to 20,000 illegal handguns in the country.
Justice Minister Senator Chris Ellison said the ACC's special investigation into illegal firearms trafficking was being undertaken in addition to recent national reforms to restrict the availability and use of handguns.
In a week-long national advertising campaign, the ACC is calling for submissions and information about the illegal trade from individuals and organisations.
"There are people in the community who know something about this serious crime or have suspicions about such activity - perhaps this is the opportunity they've been looking for as information can be received anonymously," Senator Ellison said. "The Australian Crime Commission hopes to receive submissions from a range of sectors in the community, including sporting shooters, members of the public and private sector organisations."
One of the significant issues was how legally owned guns ended up with criminals as a result of burglaries and theft.
"A matter of particular concern is the trafficking in handguns and concealable weapons which are more attractive to criminals," Senator Ellison said. "We are particularly concerned about the theft of about 4000 firearms a year in Australia, which effectively diverts legal guns into the black market and the hands of criminals."
The ACC's illegal firearms unit is headed by Supt Mark Jenkins and comprises 67 police and analysts seconded from Australia's police forces with outposts throughout the country, including WA.
Although the special investigation is due to be reassessed by the ACC board next May, it could be extended beyond that date.
Anyone with information about illegal firearms trafficking can contact the ACC anonymously on 1800 223 399. Details about making written submissions are available at www.crimecommission.gov.au
Nationally, one in nine has firearm
AUSTRALIANS rank among the world's most heavily armed citizens despite the Federal Government's tightening of gun laws.
There are an estimated 2.1 million private firearms in Australia, according to the Small Arms Survey 2003 by the Graduate Institute for International Studies in Geneva.
The nation's gun ownership rate is more than 50 per cent higher than the global ratio, with roughly one gun for every nine people.
Worldwide, there is one privately held gun for every 16 people. In the United States the rate is one gun per person.
The survey said Australia's gun legislation was the most up-to-date in the Pacific region, with average annual firearm imports dropping 66 per cent since gun laws were tightened in 1996-97 after the Port Arthur killings.
However, in the 2001-02 financial year Australian Customs officials seized 812 illegally imported firearms with hundreds of thousands believed to have made it on to the market.
© 2003 West Australian Newspapers Limited
