International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime

  This  report  investigates how arms trafficking functions within and across these countries, each with its own ecosystem shaped by history, geography, conflict and criminal trends . As the war in Ukraine continues, concerns are mounting over potential arms spillovers. Yet this report underscores that illegal weapons flows in the region extend far beyond Ukraine, with roots in local cultures, politics and longstanding trafficking networks.  Türkiye emerges as a major source and transit hub for illicit weapons . With an estimated 36 million unlicensed firearms—90% of total civilian arms in the country—the scale is staggering. The report highlights how blank-firing pistols produced legally in Türkiye are trafficked via Bulgaria into the EU, where they are converted into lethal weapons. Transnational networks, terrorist groups and domestic criminals all contribute to Türkiye’s complex firearms market. Greece is primarily a transit country but also has strong domesti...

  Eastern asian States observatories on the Illicit Trade Between Ukraine's Tanscarpathia and the European Union .

  Analysis From Eastern Asian States Observatories and European Observatories.

  Central South Asia observatories

 

The illegal manufacturing and trafficking of firearms is a growing threat that fuels organized crime, armed conflict, and terrorism. Criminal groups move weapons across borders using the same routes as drugs and human trafficking, often linking arms smuggling to other illicit markets. New challenges such as 3D-printed guns and untraceable “ghost weapons” make detection more difficult , while some networks also serve the interests of hostile state actors aiming to destabilize regions.  Arms smuggling , or weapons trafficking, is the illicit trade and smuggling of contraband small arms , explosives, and ammunition across national or international borders. It is a global problem that fuels violence, organized crime, terrorism, and human rights violations, posing a serious threat to public safety, national security, and international relations. Key Aspects of Arms Smuggling Arms trafficking involves the unauthorized import, export, sale, delivery, or transfer of weapons withou...