Illegal gun trade flourishes online as criminals find gun buyers on ‘dark web’

ILLEGAL gun trade in Melbourne is flourishing thanks to dodgy websites and covert apps that allow criminals to advertise.

A gun advertised online.

ILLEGAL gun trade in ­Melbourne is flourishing thanks to rogue websites and covert apps.

Classifieds website Craigs­list is allowing criminals to ­advertise guns including revolvers, pistols, HK VP9s, Damascus handguns and silencers before luring buyers into ­contacting them through coded messaging app, Wickr.

Multiple online advertisements are offering guns and ammunition for sale in Melbourne for as little as $2500.

Victoria Police has warned they monitor the websites and that people have been charged with buying weapons online. “Police have conducted a number of investigations which have resulted in successful prosecutions from information gathered through these websites,” Victoria Police said in a statement.

“If you are conducting criminal activity within these forums you will be caught and charged. For operational reasons, we cannot disclose the methodology used.”

Victoria Police said it was concerned with the increase in all firearms and firearm related incidents.

“We are absolutely committed to investigating these matters, prosecuting the offenders and removing firearms from our streets,” the statement added.

Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission chief executive Chris Dawson said illegal online marketplaces had made firearms more ­widely available and increasingly allowed anonymous ­procurement of firearms by criminal entities.

“The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission is aware that there are a number of illicit e-commerce websites on the ‘dark web’ used for the sale and purchase of illicit commodities,” Mr Dawson said.

“These include weapons, ­illicit firearms, drugs, false identities, child abuse material, forged documents, secret ­foreign bank accounts, money laundering services, hacking techniques, phishing and spam tools, anonymous mail drops and other prohibited items.”

Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission chief executive Chris Dawson with Federal Justice Minister Michael Keenan. Picture: David Caird

Mr Dawson said globally, law enforcement had been successful in shutting down darknet websites such as Silk Road.

“Anyone thinking of engaging in illegal activity through these websites cannot be guaranteed of remaining anonymous and if caught they will be prosecuted,” he warned.

Alannah & Madeline Foundation chief executive Lesley Podesta said the online trade was a public safety issue.

“We are concerned to see firearms appear for sale online by private sellers — this may lead to a private, unregulated secondary market for firearms,” Ms Podesta said.

“We strongly support the need for firearms sales to be conducted with appropriate scrutiny and oversight.”

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Originally published as Illegal gun trade flourishes online as criminals find gun buyers on ‘dark web’