While Australia has some of the strongest firearm controls in the world, illicit firearms remain a desirable commodity and enabler for criminal activity. Even just one illicit firearm is a threat to the safety of Australians.
The large number of legal firearms in the community, combined with the number of unregistered (including grey market) and illicitly sourced firearms ensures a continual and growing supply of firearms to the illicit market.
A detailed understanding of the extent of illicit firearms in the Australian community requires consistency and accuracy in the reporting, tracing, and forensic examination of seized illicit firearms across all jurisdictions.
Intelligence products like our Illicit firearms in Australia report enables us to continue to actively engage with both our jurisdictional colleagues and the Australian firearm industry to identify appropriate responses that will keep illegal firearms off our streets and our communities safe.