Issue Paper Illicit Firearms Trafficking– Addressing the Criminal Side of Diversion

The report analyzes the relationship between the diversion of firearms—the transfer of weapons from legal to illicit realms—and illicit trafficking. It details various diversion typologies, including 'leakage' from state stocks, straw purchases, and the misuse of export documentation. Through 12 case studies spanning Europe, Africa, the Americas, and Asia, the document demonstrates how the UN Firearms Protocol's requirements for marking, record-keeping, and international judicial cooperation are critical for dismantling trafficking networks. It emphasizes that while diversion can occur domestically, it often serves as a prerequisite for cross-border trafficking, which requires a coordinated international criminal justice response to be effectively countered.

• The vast majority of trafficked firearms are not produced illicitly but are instead legally manufactured weapons that are diverted to the black market. Data from 38 countries shows that an average of 89 per cent of seized firearms had unique markings from lawful manufacture or import, while only 11 per cent were produced illicitly.
• Diversion is defined as the transfer of firearms, their parts, or ammunition from the legal to the illicit realm and is considered a prerequisite for trafficking.
• Diversion occurs through various modalities, including 'leakage' (theft, corrupt sale, or loss from stocks), straw purchases, the use of forged documentation in international trade, and the collapse of state institutions.
• In Europe, the illicit conversion of non-lethal firearms (such as blank-firing pistols) and the reactivation of deactivated weapons are significant methods of diversion. In the UK, 39 per cent of firearms seized in 2017 were either modified, converted, or reactivated.
• Straw purchasing in the United States is a primary source of firearms for organized crime in Mexico and the Caribbean. Between 2014 and 2018, the US ATF traced 79,997 firearms seized in Mexico, finding that 70.2 per cent (56,162) were of US origin.
• Large-scale diversion often occurs during state collapse or through inadequate stockpile management. In Libya, the 2011 collapse of government authority led to the looting of military depots, with weapons subsequently trafficked to at least 10 countries and territories, including Mali and Syria.
• State-sanctioned trafficking can occur when governments arm proxies in violation of international embargoes. For example, maritime seizures between 2018 and 2020 revealed a route from Iran to Houthi movement groups in Yemen, involving the transfer of Iranian-produced anti-material rifles and Chinese-made assault rifles.
• The UN Firearms Protocol is the only global agreement establishing the criminal offences and justice responses needed to prosecute arms trafficking. It requires states to criminalize illicit manufacturing, trafficking, and the tampering of markings.
• Effective criminal justice responses depend on the ability to trace seized firearms, which allows law enforcement to identify the point of diversion and the last legitimate owner. The Protocol requires states to keep records for at least ten years to facilitate this.
• International and inter-agency cooperation is essential for dismantling trafficking networks, as these operations often span multiple jurisdictions. This includes the use of joint investigation teams and the exchange of intelligence via national Firearms Focal Points.

APA

Marsh, N. (2024). Issue Paper Illicit Firearms Trafficking– Addressing the Criminal Side of Diversion. Peace Research Institute Oslo. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/046c63ff-1c48-43aa-b6b2-fa667c75bc9b/Diversion_Issue_Paper_ENG_web.pdf?inline=true

Chicago

Marsh, Nic. Issue Paper Illicit Firearms Trafficking– Addressing the Criminal Side of Diversion. Peace Research Institute Oslo, 2024. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/046c63ff-1c48-43aa-b6b2-fa667c75bc9b/Diversion_Issue_Paper_ENG_web.pdf?inline=true.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Marsh |first1=Nic |title=Issue Paper Illicit Firearms Trafficking– Addressing the Criminal Side of Diversion |publisher=Peace Research Institute Oslo |date=2024 |url=https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/046c63ff-1c48-43aa-b6b2-fa667c75bc9b/Diversion_Issue_Paper_ENG_web.pdf?inline=true |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{marsh2024issue, author = {Marsh, Nic}, title = {{Issue Paper Illicit Firearms Trafficking– Addressing the Criminal Side of Diversion}}, institution = {Peace Research Institute Oslo}, year = {2024}, url = {https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/046c63ff-1c48-43aa-b6b2-fa667c75bc9b/Diversion_Issue_Paper_ENG_web.pdf?inline=true}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }