New York Police Agencies Seizing More Illegal Guns Than Ever

New York State has had a problem with gun crime and violence for many years.

Even as New York has taken steps to curb illegal gun use in the state, unlicensed weapons have continued to flow into the Empire State through various forms of gun trafficking.

It's not an easy process to buy a gun in New York. While the US Supreme Court ruled that wiped away some of New York's gun licensing laws, lawmakers quickly enacted new rules to make owning a gun just as tough as before.

Officials from the New York State Police announced recently that they have been investigating multiple gun trafficking rings and made some major arrests this year.

We continue to make real progress in our aggressive fight against the gun violence that has plagued New York... Through our support for the new State Police Gun Trafficking Interdiction Unit, we are focused on investigating and bringing to justice those who are trafficking guns into the state and selling them illegally to other criminals who are intent on circumventing the state's gun regulations. I was proud to help secure $2.5 million in State Budget funding for this specialized unit to support their critical work, and today we send a strong message to gun traffickers everywhere: we will hold them accountable for their role in bringing violence to our streets and will continue to seize illegal guns.
-Kathy Hochul, Governor of New York State

The New York State Police Gun Trafficking Interdiction Unit released data showing that illegal gun seizures have increased by more than 100% when compared to last year. The Governor's office has also announced more resources for the State Police for them to ramp up efforts against illegal guns in New York.

As a legal New York gun owner, I am happy to see illegal weapons being taken off the streets. I hope that officials just remember that people have rights as well and treat folks with respect.