Trafficking in Weapons and Arms Material
Trafficking in arms and weapons material is, perhaps, one of the most notorious forms of organised crime, not least because of traditional concepts linking criminal organisations to threats and violence as well as to the international arms trade. Criminal organisations are widely believed to engage in the trafficking of firearms, ammunition, military equipment, weapons material, including nuclear material. However, many of the conceptions about this industry have been fuelled by the movie industry and mass media, and are not always backed up by real world examples. Importantly, corruption and other forms of collusion with government entities play an important role in enabling and facilitating trafficking in arms and weapons material, as do links between criminal elements and the arms industry.
In 2020-2021, participants in the Transnational Organised Crime programme explored trafficking in arms and weapons material in all its dimensions, including the international and national legal frameworks against this phenomenon, its levels and characteristics in selected places, and enforcement and industry measures adopted to prevent and suppress this illicit trade.
Participants
Lisa Armberger | United Nations Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, their Parts and Components, and Ammunition |
Jackson Briant | Law enforcement and investigation measures relating to trafficking in firearms: a toolkit of international best practice |
Lukas Bucher | International law relating to illegal trade in weapons material and military equipment (excluding firearms and firearms ammunition): An Overview |
Martin Cattaneo | Organised crime and trafficking in firearms, their parts and components, and ammunition |
Béatrice Haag | Criminal offences in Swiss law relating to illegal trade in military equipment and weapons material |
Zeynep Kologlu | The Arms Trade Treaty |
Niall McKenna | Corruption and trafficking in arms and weapons material |
Ella North | Levels, characteristics, and regulations concerning firearms and ammunition manufacturing and sale in Australia |
Isabelle Orazio | Definitions of arms, weapons, military equipment, ammunition et cetera: concepts and controversies |
Stephanie Salzgeber | Criminal offences in Swiss law relating to illegal trade in firearms and ammunition |
Shannon Sangiorgio | Levels and characteristics of the illegal trade in military equipment and weapons material in Europe |
Chloe Scriggins | International law relating to illegal trade of nuclear material |
Leo Seidl | Criminal offences in Austrian law relating to illegal trade in firearms and ammunition |
Gareth Ward | Mandate and work of the IAEA concerning illegal trade in and criminal use of nuclear material |
Joshua Weiss | Gun-related crime in Switzerland: overview and recent developments |