For over a year, the Department of Justice (DOJ), in cooperation with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and other federal and state agencies, has been conducting undercover operations to trap websites selling Chinese-made Glock switches.
Last week, the Department of Justice celebrated the achievement, which came after a year of hard work.
355 websites selling the switches in question,
700 switches,
87 silencers (suppressors),
59 handguns,
36 long guns.
That's it. This is a victory in the federal government's ongoing efforts to remove firearms and related gear from the American people.
The “deadly” switch
Ultimately, authorities say these switches are “deadly” and that they could be used by criminals to commit gun violence, according to U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona.
The violence we see in our communities is outrageous and unacceptable. Machine gun conversion devices have no place in our communities. The switch is small but deadly, and one pull of the trigger can injure many innocent people.
People should feel safe in their homes, neighborhoods and public places, which is why we will use every tool at our disposal to aggressively prosecute those in possession of these deadly devices. (Emphasis added)
Note the switch: Authorities have made no mention of criminals using some of the switches to turn (possibly stolen) firearms into machine guns.
Marcus Watson, ATF Special Agent in Charge for Alabama, repeatedly misdirected the focus from criminals and their illegal use of firearms (modified or not) to inanimate firearms and their accessories.
The proliferation of machine gun conversion devices has added another deadly dimension to gun violence in our communities. In the wrong hands, these devices can have catastrophic consequences. These devices can easily transform a handgun into a fully automatic weapon, capable of firing an incredible number of rounds in a split second.
“They pose a serious danger to our communities, are illegal under federal law and are a key priority in our efforts to combat violent crime. Removing these illegal firearms from Alabama's streets and ensuring our citizens are free from the fear of their use is one of our top priorities.”
ATF continues to work aggressively with partners to remove these devices from our roadways. (emphasis added)
This is an “aggressive effort” that the ATF and its “partners” are undertaking to capture and disable illegal websites.
In August 2023, federal authorities began targeting multiple websites, companies, and individuals for selling, offering for sale, importing, or exporting machine gun conversion devices in violation of federal law.
Law enforcement agencies were allegedly making undercover purchases from a website domain that facilitates the sale of items prohibited under the (National Firearms Act), and it was determined that the domain was being used to sell illegal switches and silencers.
The federal government declared the Switch a “prohibited item.”
The smuggled goods were then allegedly shipped from China to U.S. government-controlled mailboxes with false descriptions of their contents, such as “necklaces” and “toys,” in order to conceal their illegal importation.
The victory celebration was led by Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy.
Our office is committed to protecting our communities from the dangers posed by illegal firearms and firearm-related items, no matter where the evidence leads.
The seizure of these domains is an important step in disrupting the distribution of dangerous contraband that poses a threat to public safety. Those who attempt to use online platforms to smuggle highly dangerous firearm parts will be held accountable. (Emphasis added)
We will continue to pursue and dismantle these illegal networks wherever we operate, to uphold the integrity of the law and protect our communities.
Is it good value for money?
Is this all they can come up with after a year of trapping? After wasting hundreds of hours of effort and millions of taxpayer dollars? John Crump, an NRA instructor and Ammoland website blogger, writes:
The investigation took more than a year and cost millions of dollars, but the results may be temporary: websites like those shut down by the government appear one day and disappear the next.
These sites will soon be back online under their new domain names if they are not already online. This situation is a game of cat and mouse, in this case the cat is the federal government and the mouse doesn't care.
And so do the criminals who are actually committing crimes using these “deadly” and “dangerous” items that have now been officially declared “prohibited” by those in power.
