Crime Stoppers Australia is delivering a comprehensive National Illicit Firearms Campaign with support from the Commonwealth Department of Home Affairs.

The campaign, which is being delivered in 2 phases, is designed to:

• raise community awareness and understanding of the very significant dangers posed by the use and theft of unregistered firearms;
• educate the community about the consequences of being in possession of an unregistered firearm, and the penalties applied;
• remove unregistered firearms from the community through their destruction or sale/registration;
• encourage Australians in possession of an unregistered firearm to hand it in or register it under the amnesty;
• encourage and empower the community nationally to report information relating to the use, possession, and trade of illicit firearms to Crime Stoppers.

The campaign’s overarching objective is to increase community safety and to support existing policing efforts focussed on the possession, use and trade of illicit firearms by criminals. 

There is support for a national firearms amnesty amongst the general public and licensed firearms owners.

However, many people are unaware of the scale and quantum of the problems associated with unregistered firearms in the community.  This is why we need to explain why it is important to remove illicit firearms from the streets and out of the hands of criminals.

People with an unregistered or unwanted firearm, parts or ammunition are encouraged to surrender these under amnesty conditions.

People with information about illegal firearms are encouraged to report what they know to Crime Stoppers

The reality is whether unwanted, unregistered, or illicit, firearms can be found everywhere in the community. That’s why Crime Stoppers will be delivering extensive events in metropolitan, regional and rural communities. Efforts will be made to engage and encourage the community to get involved by surrendering unregistered or unwanted firearms and/or sharing information about the location of illegal firearms with Crime Stoppers.

The campaign is being funded by the Commonwealth Government under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. That funding will allow Crime Stoppers to successfully develop and implement a national strategy.

The campaign development has involved police, industry groups and other law enforcement bodies.

No. Legal ownership of certain firearms in specific circumstances (such as sports shooting and hunting) is recognised in Australia.

The campaign reminds people with registered firearms to ensure that they comply with the relevant legislation in their jurisdiction and to safely secure their firearm.

If you have any information about an illicit firearm, you can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at www.crimestoppers.com.au. Report Safely and Confidentially.

You don’t have to say who you are, get involved or compromise your own safety.

No – you may have heard something or have a suspicion only. Don’t second guess yourself, contact Crime Stoppers and let us evaluate it – because if the information is of concern to you then it’s important to us.

When you contact Crime Stoppers you don’t have to provide concrete evidence of a crime involving a firearm. You may have overheard something, or something just doesn’t feel quite right – so reach out and share what you know.

Firearms enable organised crime groups to be more lethal in their activities.

It only takes one firearm in the hands of a person with malicious intent to be of great concern to yourself, your family, or the community. Illicit firearms put us all at risk.

Crime Stoppers needs your help for ongoing, and sustained effort to reduce the number of, and access to, illicit and unregistered firearms in the community. Say something before it is too late.

The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission data estimates that there is a significant number of illicit firearms remain in the community.

These exist in two distinct markets: 

Black market firearms are used for criminal purposes and find their way to the black market via illicit importation, illicit manufacture, and theft from registered and unregistered guns.

The grey market is a subset of the black market. Grey market firearms are those that should have been handed in or registered following major firearm reforms in 1996. The possession of a firearm that was not surrendered in 1996 or registered is illegal.

Intelligence from law enforcement suggests that not only are serious and organised crime groups looking to access firearms for criminal purposes, but an increasing number are trafficking firearms as an income means.

The illicit firearms market is driven in part by outlaw motorcycle gangs, organised crime groups, and other groups engaged in trafficking illicit commodities such as drugs.

Based on available data, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission conservatively estimates there are 260,000 firearms (250,000 long arm and 10,000 handguns) in the domestic illicit market. This estimate is based on a range of intelligence sources, including firearm importation figures and seizure trends over time. Please refer to the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) report 2016, for further information.

If people don’t share what they know about illicit firearms in the community, then there is the real potential that those firearms can fall into the hands of criminals, people with a mental illness,  children and teens.

Say something before it is too late. Protect yourself and your family.  

Yes. If you know of any other type of unwanted or illegal weapon, you should contact police to tell Crime Stoppers.