That information can help to link a suspect to a firearm in a criminal investigation and identify potential traffickers. commerce by the importer through the distribution chain (wholesalers and retailers), to identify an unlicensed purchaser. Tracing is a systematic process of tracking the movement of a firearm from its manufacture or from its introduction into U.S. The Tracing Processįirearms tracing begins when a law enforcement agency discovers a firearm at a crime scene and seeks to learn the origin or background of that firearm in order to develop investigative leads. All firearms traced must have been used, or suspected to have been used, in a crime. NTC’s mission is to conduct firearms tracing to provide investigative leads for federal, state, local and foreign law enforcement agencies.įirearm tracing provides critical information to assist domestic and international law enforcement agencies investigate and solve firearms crimes detect firearms trafficking and track the intrastate, interstate and international movement of crime guns. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) National Tracing Center (NTC) is the United States’ only crime gun tracing facility.
