Illicit Trafficking (original) (raw)

The illicit trade in small arms and light weapons occurs in all parts of the globe but is concentrated in areas afflicted by armed conflict, violence, and organized crime, where the demand for illicit weapons is often highest. Arms trafficking fuels civil wars and regional conflicts; stocks the arsenals of terrorists, drug cartels, and other armed groups; and contributes to violent crime and the proliferation of sensitive technology.

Black market trafficking usually takes place on a regional or local level; the multi-ton, inter-continental shipments that capture headlines account for only a small fraction of illicit transfers. Among the most important forms of illicit trafficking is the ‘ant trade’—numerous shipments of small numbers of weapons that, over time, result in the accumulation of large numbers of illicit weapons by unauthorized end users. Gun retailers have, for many years, been an important source of arms illicitly trafficked into and around Latin America. Mexican authorities have stated that some 90 per cent of seized weapons that are traced by authorities originated in the United States (having been produced there or imported by US dealers). Many of these firearms are high-powered military-style weapons such as semi-automatic versions of Kalashnikov-type rifles. These weapons are often purchased from gun shops in small numbers and then smuggled over the border. While individual transactions occur on a small scale, the sum total of the weapons trafficked into Mexico is large.

While publicly available evidence suggests that most arms trafficking is conducted by private entities, certain governments also contribute to the illicit trade by deliberately arming proxy groups involved in insurgencies against rival governments, terrorists with similar ideological agendas, or other non-state armed groups. These types of transfers, which are prevalent in Africa and other regions where armed conflict is common, are often conducted in contravention of UN arms embargoes and have the potential to destabilize neighbouring countries. The value of the illicit trade is a small fraction of the licensed trade. In recent years, governments have covertly delivered tens of thousands of small arms and light weapons to various armed groups in Somalia despite a long-standing UN arms embargo. The weapons range from AK series assault rifles to MANPADS, one of which was used to shoot down a Belarusian cargo aircraft delivering supplies for peacekeepers in March 2007.

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