What happens with DEA and BATFE seized property?

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v35

v35

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While reading the Wall Street Journal (my preferred source of printed journalism) I saw one of those legal notices with descriptions of seized property. It covers a whole page, sometimes more, with teeny tiny text. Seems that drug dealers and other no-goodniks have a fondness for jewelry, flashy cars, Harleys, and guns. They also seem to have lots of cash lying around; sometimes a few million stashed away for a rainy day.

I'm talking lots and lots of guns. Lots....of....guns.

I wondered if this stuff is sold at auction so I could put in a few lowball bids for some hardware that hasn't had its serial numbers obliterated, but alas, the end of the notice explicitly states the property is not for sale and that the DEA, BATFE etc. does not sell this booty.

So what happens with this stuff? The government can't keep all of it; that's a lot of Harleys and Lexuses to warehouse. Does anyone know? Are they eventually sold? To whom? Seems that the alphabets could take in a lot of revenue by liquidating firearms and stuff used in criminal activity. Don't they?

Is there a way to get any of this stuff for cheap? (legally that is)

If all those seized Sigs and HKs are simply melted, crushed, or ground into bits don't tell me. I'd rather not know. :(
 
I don't know if all of the ATF and DEA seizures are ground up. I spoke with the local LEA a few days ago regarding similar subject matter. According to our Chief of Police and County Sheriff, whatever "quality" seized firearms evidence not returned to the rightful owners is usually sold to larger dealers. He gave me the specifics that the saturday night specials and junk guns are trashed or ground up for playground equipment. But the higher quality(not necessarily high dollar, just the ones that work) firearms could be bid on in one lot after they were done with them.

Basically, if you're a licensed dealer, have good communication skills and a decent bankroll, you can bid on the entire lot they offer. They also accept bids of ammunition in lieu of cash.

Just what I know about our local guys, don't know if applies everywhere.

-John
 
POSSUM813 said:
According to our Chief of Police and County Sheriff, whatever "quality" seized firearms evidence not returned to the rightful owners is usually sold to larger dealers.
Click to expand...

Now see, when I read that I took that to mean larger DRUG dealers. Perhaps the word GUN in front of DEALER would be good. :D:D
 
I saw, some years ago, one of the larger models of Mercedes-Benz traveling down I-65 complete with a light bar on top and police markings on the doors. On the rear was "Seized from A Drug Dealer".
Seems some small PD in S. Alabama got a new cruiser at no cost.
I buy a good bit of surplus property from the state, and know the guy in charge pretty well. I asked him about the seized guns, and all he said was "melted". :confused::barf::fire:
 
I have seen a boat load of handguns and rifles cut up in a chopper and the metal sold for scrap. I have always wondered if there could be a way to take these guns and take all good parts off them and only cut up the receivers.
 
The Harleys, Porsches, and anything that's not illegal substances or counterfeit merchandise or put to use by the govt. is auctioned off. Most agencies destroy firearms that they don't put to use.

The destruction of firearms is due to a bad press situation a few years ago. An agency had firearms they bought marked for their agency. They used to sell all their legal guns at auction to licensed dealers and distributors. Someone bought one of these legally and used it to commit suicide a year or so later. Headlines read something like "Federal Agency sells gun to suicide victim". Not the truth but in order to aviod bad press the agency started destroying all seized and put out of service guns.

Some Sheriffs and smaller PDs in gun friendly states still sell seized guns. But very few.
 
Someone bought one of these legally and used it to commit suicide a year or so later. .. to aviod bad press the agency started destroying all seized and put out of service guns.
Click to expand...
* sigh * well, I understand the need to avoid bad press. But why isn't the "chain of custody" broken? Once the gun is legally seized, forfeited, sold to a FFL, then sold to an end user, who cares where it came from? Does it carry some bad voodoo or something?

Destroying them is a simple solution but it seems like such a waste, considering that liquidation could offset my tax burden.
 
But why isn't the "chain of custody" broken? Once the gun is legally seized, forfeited, sold to a FFL, then sold to an end user, who cares where it came from? Does it carry some bad voodoo or something?


Maybe my post wasn't clear, I said "An agency had firearms they bought marked for their agency. " I should have said "they had the agency's name engraved on the gun at the factory". Not a chain of custody issue.

I do agree with you. I have seen US military fireams marked "US Govt Property" used in crimes but no one blamed the the US Govt.
 
Federal agencies live and die on PR. It is no coincidence that TV will show pictures of big gun seizures (some months old, but billed as "news") at the same time BATFE's budget is up for re-appropriation in Congress.

PR hype was the original intent of the Waco situation. They had known about Koresh for a long time, but it was an attempt to impress and support the new (and anti-gun) Clinton administration that pushed them to stage the raid. They had visions of tables full of guns with the director being interviewed by some blonde bimbo "reporter" about those "evil guns." Instead they got dead bodies and suddenly those TV lights didn't look so good.

Jim
 
You do spend too much time on fark. ;)

Destroyed, melted down, whatever. They're gone. :-( Unless someone gets lucky and somehow gets to bring a nice peice home but I doubt that.
 
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