Criminal gangs are obtaining US military weapons

It seems that criminal gangs are intensifying their efforts to obtain military weapons and combat gear - sometimes for sale to others, but often for use by their members.  Stars and Stripes reports:

A wide-reaching investigation by military and civilian authorities has uncovered a criminal conspiracy within the Armed Forces to steal and sell nearly $2 million in guns and combat gear to gangs in the U.S. and foreign countries including China, military officials have confirmed.

The probe began more than a year and a half ago when agents with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service began to conduct undercover operations to disrupt and reduce the theft, transfer, sale and possession of stolen U.S. Government property. With the aid of Marine and Naval authorities, NCIS has recovered $1.8 million in stolen guns and combat gear to include assault rifles, night-vision goggles, flashlights and other items, military officials said.

. . .

With cooperation from Marine and Navy officials, NCIS has been able to conduct 66 investigations involving 47 active duty Marines and sailors to include enlisted and high-ranking officers and 21 civilians who are now in various stages of prosecution.

NCIS agents identified stolen property from the Army and Air Force which launched numerous investigations involving soldiers and airmen, military officials confirmed.

There's more at the link.

This problem is likely to get worse as time passes.  The FBI's 2011 National Gang Threat Assessment - Emerging Trends noted:

Gang infiltration of the military continues to pose a significant criminal threat, as members of at least 53 gangs have been identified on both domestic and international military installations. Gang members who learn advanced weaponry and combat techniques in the military are at risk of employing these skills on the street when they return to their communities. Gang members are acquiring high-powered, military-style weapons and equipment which poses a significant threat because of the potential to engage in lethal encounters with law enforcement officers and civilians.

Again, more at the link, or you can read a summary news report here.  (The full 100-page report is available here as an Adobe Acrobat document in .PDF format.)

The High Desert Daily Press in California provides some examples of gang-related weapons trafficking.

In late July [2011], 27 AK-47s were stolen from a Fort Irwin warehouse, officials said. Those close to the case who would only speak under the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the subject said investigators believe gang members were involved in the theft.

. . .

In the first week of November a known gang member and his wife were arrested in Adelanto after Victor Valley SMASH Gang Team officials found several weapons in their home including a military artillery round in their garage.

Earlier this year a field artillery round was found in an Apple Valley home, according to sheriff’s reports. When it was detonated in the open desert it created a six-foot crater.

It didn’t surprise ex-Hammerskin Nation gang member and former Marine T.J. Leyden to hear gangsters are getting their hands on heavy explosives.

“It’s a lot harder to get firearms and rifles off a base but artillery rounds aren’t that difficult,” he said.

According to Leyden, rifles and firearms are counted three times daily but when it comes to artillery rounds, it’s much easier to give false numbers.

“It’s easy to say you fired 10 rounds when you only actually fired eight or six,” the former Hesperia resident said.

While it may be more difficult to smuggle assault rifles and similar weapons off bases and into the hands of gang members, it’s being done.

In November 2010, three former Marines were arrested in Los Angeles for selling assault weapons to members of the violent street gang, Florencia 13, according to the NGIC report. That same month, a Navy Seal from San Diego along with two others were arrested in Colorado for smuggling about 18 military-issued machine guns from Iraq and Afghanistan to be sold and shipped to buyers in Mexico. It was unclear if any of the servicemen were gang members.

More at the link.

I urge readers to take note of my warning last year about 'The Changing Urban Self-Defense Environment'.  This problem feeds directly into that situation, and if it expands, will cause urban criminal gangs to become much more dangerous.  In the event of serious urban unrest, we can expect such weapons to be deployed against the authorities and law-abiding citizens in at least some cities.

I also urge you to inform yourself about the criminal gangs that operate in your area.  Forewarned is forearmed!  Your police department or Sheriff's office will be able to provide you with the names of local gangs (they may already list such information on their Web sites).  A particularly useful source of general information is the FBI Web page dealing with gangs.  You'll find more resources with a simple Internet search.

Peter