On 29 August and from 5 to 7 September, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), in collaboration with the Governments of the Bahamas, Barbados and Grenada, carried out a Serial Number Restoration Course.
In the Caribbean, several factors hinder States to trace one hundred percent of its recovered, illicit firearms, including the age of the firearm, ineffective procedures, and the absence of serial numbers on firearms. Obliterating serial numbers on firearms is a common practice for criminals to mask their origin, facilitate trafficking and their illegal use. UNLIREC has been training Caribbean law enforcement and forensic officials to restore obliterated serial numbers to support criminal investigations, successfully trace weapons and even disband trafficking networks.
The recent four-day course consisted of recorded videos, live online demonstrations, as well as the hands-on use of Magnaflux and Chemical Etching to restore/recover serial numbers from firearms that have been submitted for analysis .
Fourteen officials, including three women, from the Royal Grenada Police Force, Barbados Police Service and Royal Bahamas Police Force participated in the training. “[…] we are now better equipped to use this additional technique in restoring obliterated serial numbers not only from firearms but also from vehicles and equipment which carry serial numbers”, a participant noted.
UNLIREC, as the regional centre of the UN Office of Disarmament Affairs, seeks to advance the cause of practical disarmament in Latin America and the Caribbean as part of its commitment to support Member States.
The Regional Serial Number Restoration Course contributes towards the implementation of Goal 3 of the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap, “Bolster law enforcement capacity to combat illicit firearms and ammunition trafficking and their illicit possession and misuse, and ammunition, and ultimately reducing firearms-related crimes and armed violence in the Caribbean”.
This activity was funded by the United States of America and contributes to the implementation of international disarmament and non-proliferation instruments, in particular, the 2001 UN Programme of Action on Small Arms.
During a course organised by the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) held from 21 to 26 August 2022, Colombian authorities shared their experiences in combatting arms and ammunition trafficking.
The course provided a space for inter-institutional exchange including on good practices, as well as on the importance of international cooperation, which is essential to combatting the illicit trade of arms and ammunition in all its aspects to in address its transnational nature.
This Course on Combating Arms and Ammunition Trafficking (CTAM) was delivered in coordination with the Working Group on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation of the Directorate General for Multilateral Political Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Colombia and provided national authorities with theoretical knowledge and necessary technical tools to implement strategies seeking to prevent and combat the illicit trafficking of firearms and their ammunitions in line with international arms control instruments.
The CTAM course was attended by a total of 29 participants representing the Colombian Foreign Ministry, General Command of the Military Forces, National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE), National Tax and Customs Directorate (DIAN), National Intelligence Directorate, National Planning Department (DNP), Attorney General’s Office, Military Industry (INDUMIL), Ministry of National Defence, Ministry of Justice and Law, and the National Police (PONAL).
The CTAM course consists of a series of content-specific modules including general concepts and regional context of illicit trafficking in firearms and ammunition, illicit manufacturing of firearms, control and documentation systems in international transfers, illicit brokering in firearms and ammunition, and tools and mechanisms for international cooperation.
The course encompassed national presentations from the Criminal Investigation and Interpol Directorate of the National Police, as well as the Working Group on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation of the Directorate General of Multilateral Political Affairs of the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
For Columbia, as well as other countries in the region, the illicit trafficking of firearms and ammunitions represents a pressing challenge that puts national and public security at risk.
UNLIREC developed the CTAM course to strengthen States’ capacities in the fight against this transnational crime.
The training will assist Colombia with the implementation of international instruments and commitments in the field of arms control.
The course CTAM was funded by Federal Republic of Germany within the framework of the regional project Combatting the illicit trafficking of arms and ammunitions in Latin America and the Caribbean.
From 15 to 18 August, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), in collaboration with the Government of Jamaica, carried out the National Ballistics Intelligence Management Course, that contributes to reducing the effects of armed violence and gun crimes by strengthening capacities to combat illicit trafficking in firearms and ammunition.
The 4-day training course covered modules on Firearms and Ammunition identification and classification, Chain of Custody, Sources of Ballistic information, Ballistic information management and analysis and Ballistic Intelligence.
The Ballistics Intelligence Management course benefits law enforcement and other officials involved in the investigation and prosecution of gun crimes; including first responders, criminal investigators, forensic analysts, laboratory technicians, customs officials, intelligence officers, prosecutors, judges and other personnel working with firearms registries.
In Jamaica, twenty-three officials, including eight women, from the Ministry of National Security, Jamaica Constabulary Force, Jamaica Customs Authority and Institute of Forensic Science and Legal Medicine participated in the training.
“[The course] planning and delivery of the practical exercise was very informative. I enjoyed it very much. It demonstrates the collaborative effort that is needed to address the issue of crime and firearms trafficking around the world.”, indicated a participant.
The course sensitizes participants to the importance of the involvement of and interaction between different authorities as part of the evidence management and ballistic intelligence cycle. The training focused in particular on enhancing the role of forensic laboratories in firearms investigations, including the generation of investigative leads and seeks to strengthen the coordination between forensic laboratories and investigative units.
The National Ballistics Intelligence Management Course contributes to the implementation of Goal 3 of the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap which seeks to “Bolster law enforcement capacity to combat illicit firearms and ammunition trafficking and their illicit possession and misuse, and ammunition, and ultimately reducing firearms-related crimes and armed violence in the Caribbean.”
UNLIREC is one of three regional centre of the UN Office of Disarmament Affairs and seeks to advance the cause of practical disarmament in Latin America and the Caribbean as part of its commitment to support Member States.
This activity was made possible with funding from the United States of America and contributes to the implementation of international disarmament and non-proliferation instruments, in particular, the 2001 UN Programme of Action on Small Arms.
From 8 to 10 August 2022, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) delivered its Double Casting Course and handed over one Double Casting Kit and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for double casting procedures to Trinidad and Tobago.
Double casting increases the ability of forensic experts to make connections between crime and crime scenes. Double casting consists of making a silicone mold of a fired bullet or cartridge case and then, using the mold, creating a replica of that bullet /cartridge case. The duplicate can be used for ballistics imaging, microscope examination and comparison.
During the course, twelve officials from the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service and Forensic Science Centre learned about the practice of Double Casting and the importance of sharing relevant findings and information between national agencies and beyond. “[The course] provided a unique opportunity to dive further into an aspect of Forensic Science […] with regional cooperation in mind, and provide valuable intelligence to regional partners”, indicated a participant.
Double casts, or replica, of bullets and cartridges cases can be sent to other jurisdictions or countries in lieu of original evidence for comparison and potential linkage to other crimes, while preserving the chain of custody of the original evidence and enabling forensic laboratories to provide valuable investigative leads to police. It is also useful when a particular country or agency does not have access to an Automated Ballistics Identification System (ABIS).
The Double Casting course is based on INTERPOL’s Ballistics Information Network (IBIN) validated method but also allows scope for the use of other materials that provide satisfactory results. The SOP provided to participants includes a synopsis of several of the most common double casting procedures for use with ABIS and general comparison microscopy purposes.
UNLIREC, as one of three regional centres of the UN Office of Disarmament Affairs, seeks to advance arms control in Latin America and the Caribbean as part of its commitment to support Member States.
The Double Cast activities contribute towards the implementation of the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap, in particular Goal 2 “to reduce the illicit flow of firearms and ammunition into, within and beyond the region” and Goal 3, “Bolster law enforcement capacity to combat illicit firearms and ammunition trafficking and their illicit possession and misuse, and ammunition, and ultimately reducing firearms-related crimes and armed violence in the Caribbean.”
This activity was funded by the United States of America and contributes to the implementation of international arms control instruments, in particular the 2001 UN Programme of Action on Small Arms.
Participants reviewing the acquisition of a double cast and exhibit on an Automated Ballistics Identification System
On 3 and 4 August 2022, United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Directorate of Criminal Investigation of the Peruvian National Police (DIRCRI-PNP), held the first in-person edition of its Specialised Course on Firearms Investigations from a Gender Perspective (FIGP).
The course is aimed at sensitising participants on the importance of gender mainstreaming in crimes committed with firearms and strengthen their relevant technical knowledge about scientific methods of criminal investigations, as well as inter-institutional cooperation in these areas.
During the course, General Luis Miguel Gamarra Chavarry, Director of DIRCRI-PNP stressed the importance of developing gender-sensitive criminal investigation skills to solve crimes against women: “We consider it [this training] important because it allows us to examine the crime scene free from stereotypes, free from thoughts opposed to women, and to do an adequate job.” He highlighted the support of UNLIREC in capacity building to provide a better service to society: “This benefits the public because we are able to shed light on these crimes rather than the investigation being left in suspense; instead it allows us to identify the responsibility of individuals and supports the judiciary and the Public Prosecutor’s Office.”
Forty-one investigators and experts from different departments of the DIRCRI participated, including representatives from Ballistics and Forensic Explosives, Criminal Investigation, Criminalistic Inspections, Human Trafficking Investigation Division, Forensic Computer Graphic, among others.
What is FIGP?
The Specialised Course on Firearms Investigations from a Gender Perspective (FIGP) addresses both theoretical and technical aspects in criminal investigations and how gender mainstreaming, as a method of analysis, contributes to drawing conclusions free of stereotypes, based on technical and scientific research.
This was put into practice with an analysis of different cases to reflect how the absence of a gender perspective leads to the violation of rights of the victims and their families.
During the training, it was highlighted that firearms are used to commit different types of violence against women, so not only as a murder weapon, but also as an instrument to threaten, intimidate and coerce.
The importance of the correct handling of the crime scene and of firearms and ammunition as physical evidence, the need for a gender-sensitive investigation of crimes was also emphasised. Recommendations were shared and participants were urged to strengthen the coordination and cooperation between all actors involved in the different stages of the judicial investigation.
From 3 to 19 August 2022, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) delivered its Interdicting Small Arms, Ammunition, Parts and Components (ISAAPC) course in Jamaica for the first time. Twenty-seven (27) officials, including fourteen (14) women, from the Jamaica Constabulary Force, Jamaica Customs Agency and Port Security actively participated in the hybrid course.
Participants were trained on the fundamental aspects of X-ray technology as well as the technical specifications of small arms, their parts and components, ammunition, explosives, and less lethal weapons. Students benefited from virtual theoretical sessions and in-person practical presentations and exercises on the identification of firearms, their parts and components and ammunition. The course also included an interactive session on concealment methods being employed by traffickers in the region. Throughout the course, participants also trained on an X-ray simulation programme developed by the Centre for Adaptive Security Research and Applications (CASRA), to enhance and develop their capacities to detect illicit trafficking through X-ray scanners.
The ISAAPC course forms part of the technical assistance provided by UNLIREC under the Saving Lives Entity (SALIENT) Fund project which aims to reduce violence and the proliferation of illicit firearms in Jamaica. The course aims to strengthen the capacities of States to combat and prevent the illicit trafficking of small arms, ammunition and explosives that is carried out through postal shipments, packages, parcels and luggage at entry, exit, and transit points in the country.
This specialized course, developed in line with the 2001 UN Programme of Action on Small Arms, the Arms Trade Treaty and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in particular target 16.4, contributes towards regional efforts to prevent illicit trafficking of firearms and ammunition, thereby reducing firearms-related crimes and armed violence in the Caribbean. This course also contributes to the implementation of Goal 2 of the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap, entitled ‘Reduce the illicit flow of firearms and ammunition into, within and beyond the region’.
