NEW YORK — New York State Police reported a 104% increase in firearms seizures this year, statistics spurred by a months-long investigation that resulted in the recovery of a large cache of firearms and the arrest of multiple suspects who were involved in a weapons trafficking ring, Governor Kathy Hochul announced Thursday.
The investigation was carried out by the Arms Trafficking Interception Unit of the State Police. Governor Hochul secured $2.5 million to fund 14 GTIU positions in the FY 2023 budget following the unit’s creation last summer. This substantial increase in firearms seizures is a direct result of these types of strategic investments to support law enforcement initiatives cracking down on illegal firearms.
“We continue to make real progress in our aggressive fight against the gun violence that has plagued New York,” Governor Hochul said. “Through our support of the new State Police Arms Trafficking Interdiction Unit, we are focused on investigating and bringing to justice those who traffic firearms into the state and illegally sell them to other criminals who intend to circumvent state firearms regulations.
Late last year, the GTIU State Police launched its first investigation into a firearms trafficking ring that operates in multiple jurisdictions. The months-long investigation resulted in the execution of search warrants at multiple locations in multiple counties. Overall, the case resulted in the seizure of 30 firearms, including six assault rifles, seven high-capacity magazines, twelve ghost pistols, and assorted ghost pistol parts. Several people have been arrested. Additional information is being withheld at this time due to a pending prosecution.
The GTIU State Police was created last summer to target illegal firearms trafficking in New York and conducts complex, long-term investigations that focus on mitigating the source of supply. The goal of the GTIU, along with other law enforcement agencies that partner in investigations, is to reduce the illegal possession of firearms and the violent crime that often follows.
So far this year, the State Police have seized 795 weapons, an increase of 104 percent compared to the 389 weapons seized during the same period last year. Overall, all law enforcement agencies in the state reported 3,166 firearm seizures compared to 2,181 during the same period last year, an increase of 45 percent.
The FY 2023 state budget included $227 million to fund bold initiatives that will strengthen the gun violence prevention efforts of law enforcement and community organizations.
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