In a 24-hour timeframe, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Express Consignment Operations hub in Indianapolis, seized 10 shipments containing a total of 56 types of gun parts and accessories commonly used in the manufacturing firearm parts.
The shipments, arriving from Israel and Spain, were seized on December 7 and 8. Officers inspected the packages which were selected for enforcement operations related to weapon parts coming into the U.S. The Indianapolis Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), working with CBP, stated that the items appear to be firearm parts under their regulations, therefore an approved Application and Permit for Importation of Firearms, Ammunition, and Defense Articles would have been required prior to the importation. The shipments were heading to different residences in Ohio, Iowa, Tennessee, Texas, Florida, Virginia, and North Carolina and contained grips, sights, swivels, slings, rifles stocks and conversion kits.
“This seizure clearly illustrates how closely CBP examines import manifests and identifies anomalies that could potentially harm our nation or our citizens, said LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, Director, Field Operations, Chicago Field Office. “Additionally, our strong and effective partnerships with federal law enforcement agencies enables us to quickly identify and remove these shipments before they reach their final destination.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) regulates and restricts firearms and ammunition. Importation of weapons or ammunition must be made by a licensed importer, dealer, or manufacturer. Both shipments were manifested as conversion kits. Additionally, the importer does not appear to be a federal firearms licensed firearms manufacturer or dealer therefore no registration of being an importer exists. The items were seized on behalf of ATF for not having the required permits, and because these import permit requirements were not met, the gun parts were seized.
“The importing of any type of munitions is regulated by the ATF,” said Jeremy Brodsky, Port Director, Indianapolis. “This seizure highlights the outstanding work our CBP officers perform every day in preventing illegal firearms from reaching our local communities.”
CBP’s border security mission is led at ports of entry by CBP officers from the Office of Field Operations. CBP officers screen international travelers and cargo and search for illicit narcotics, unreported currency, weapons, counterfeit consumer goods, prohibited agriculture products, and other illicit items that could potentially harm the American public, U.S. businesses, and our nation’s safety and economic vitality.
