Task Force Formed to Shut DOwn Illegal Gun Flow

[Jeff White]

Well it starts. I wonder what mischief this unit will play with legal gun owners in Illinois? Probably more arrests for serious gunrunning like forgetting to sign your FOID card when it comes back from the ISP.

Someone needs to tell Lt. Lincoln Hampton of the Illinois State Police that there is no requirement for background checks at gunshows unless the purchase is made from an FFL. The state has already done the background check of every legal Illinois gunowner when they issued the FOID card. :banghead: I don't know about Missouri.

Jeff

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/ne...E88D2362BFF0C41986256FC90016FA1D?OpenDocument

Task force is formed to shoot down illegal gun flow
By Georgina Gustin
Of the Post-Dispatch
03/19/2005

A new gun trafficking task force, with units in Collinsville and Chicago, will begin tackling the flow of illegal guns into Illinois starting April 1.

The new units, announced this week by Gov. Rod Blagojevich, will work with federal and state authorities, particularly from Mississippi and Indiana, to capture gun runners trafficking firearms from other states.

"Illinois has a problem - the majority of guns used in crimes come from other states," said John Lacey, a spokesman for Americans for Gun Safety, a Washington-based, nonpartisan gun policy group. "This will start increasing coordination between law enforcement at the source and where the guns end up so they can start to shut down the pipeline."

According to the governor's office, more than 1,300 illegally obtained guns used in Illinois crimes came from Mississippi and Indiana, more than from the following 10 states combined.

"Criminals are finding it necessary to go out of state to get firearms because of the strong gun laws in Illinois," said Illinois State Police Lt. Lincoln Hampton..

Mississippi and Indiana do not have laws requiring background checks at gun shows, one of the leading sources of illegally trafficked guns, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Illinois and Missouri require background checks at gun shows.

The new units, with five troopers in Collinsville and six in Chicago, will work with the bureau and authorities in Mississippi and Indiana to track and develop cases against gun runners. The units will also remove guns from owners whose gun licenses have been revoked.

Lacey said Illinois will become the third state, after New York and Connecticut, to address gun trafficking with specialized units.

According to ATF figures, 90 percent of guns used in crimes are purchased and trafficked illegally.

 

[Ohen Cepel]

Another good waste of money.

Lock up the SOB's when you catch them the first time! Just like the case of the dead girl in FL, the guy had been caught before and we let him go. The guys doing violent crime make a career. Doesn't matter if he has a gun or not!

 

[squadfounder]

According to ATF figures, 90 percent of guns used in crimes are purchased and trafficked illegally.

Well there's a big suprise. Criminals don't obey the law. Did they commission a team of monkeys to investigate and come to this conclusion? And I suppose more laws and special investigation will reverse this trend (Insert heavy sarcasm)

 

[carpettbaggerr]

Perhaps a wall. With gates, And an internal passport to leave and enter the state. You could search every vehicle at certain checkpoints.

Checkpoint Charlie has a nice ring to it. Sounds sort of familiar too. Hmmmmm.