Press Releases

12/08/2023

Attorney General Tong Takes Action to Stop Illegal Gun Trafficking

(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong today joined a multistate coalition of 21 attorneys general in support of a proposed Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) rule that would ensure more gun sales are subject to background checks and reduce illegal gun trafficking.

Following the passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the ATF has proposed a new regulation to clarify what it means for a person to be “engaged in the business” of dealing in firearms, and therefore required to obtain a license and run background checks when selling guns. The proposed rule would close loopholes that allowed the unlicensed sale of firearms, including online and at gun shows.

The coalition of attorneys general submitted a letter of support for the proposed rule and recommended areas of enforcement to limit gun trafficking.

“Unlicensed gun vendors at gun shows and online enable traffickers to evade background checks and fuel gun violence. I fully support federal efforts to close these dangerous loopholes and urge the FTC to use its full enforcement authority to combat illegal gun trafficking,” said Attorney General Tong.

Unlicensed gun sales make it easier for people who cannot legally purchase firearms to obtain them, endangering communities and fueling gun violence. Gun shows in states without universal background checks are a significant venue for unlicensed gun vendors and are a major source for guns trafficked into states like Connecticut. A recent ATF report revealed that the number of guns later used in crimes that originated from gun shows increased by 19 percent from 2017 to 2021. Roughly 75 percent of the guns trafficked across state lines that were used in crimes originated from states without background check laws.

The ATF’s proposed rule will crack down on unlicensed gun sellers and reduce the number of guns sold without a background check by ensuring more individuals who sell guns are subject to federal licensing and background check requirements. Vendors operating at gun shows and online would be subject to the regulation in more instances, reducing opportunities for gun sales without background checks. The new regulations will also help local and state law enforcement officials track gun sales and provide them with more tools to effectively inspect gun dealers, trace guns used in crimes, prosecute gun charges, and help keep the communities they serve safe.

The coalition of attorneys general also recommends specific areas for ATF to focus enforcement on. Noting that online gun sellers and those liquidating the inventories of licensed gun sellers are common sources of guns used in crimes, the coalition urges ATF to hold those illegally selling firearms accountable instead of encouraging them to become licensed gun dealers.

Joining Attorney General Tong in support of the ATF’s proposed rule are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawai‘i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia. The letter was led by New York Attorney General Letitia James and Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell.

Click here to read the full multistate letter.

Twitter: @AGWilliamTong

Facebook: CT Attorney General

Media Contact:

Elizabeth Benton
elizabeth.benton@ct.gov

Consumer Inquiries:

860-808-5318
attorney.general@ct.gov