Crime

Explaining America's Illegal Gun Trafficking Problem

Officials expect the number of seized guns from criminal activity will have climbed in 2021.

Explaining America's Illegal Gun Trafficking Problem
California Department of Justice / AP
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Law enforcement officials recovered and traced nearly 1.3 million guns used in crimes in just five years. That’s about 700 a day from 2016 to 2020. 

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives entered over 490,000 seized guns into its tracking and tracing system in 2020. It projects 2021’s total will be even higher.