Ghost Guns, Branded Violence: New Trends in the Weapons Seizures Markings

Authors

Sofia Molina, Coordinadora Regional de Investigaciones Económicas y Sociales (CRIES)
Andrei Serbin Pont, Coordinadora Regional de Investigaciones Económicas y Sociales (CRIES)

Files

Description

The enduring proliferation of illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) remains a critical factor in the security and stability challenges facing Latin America. These armaments fuel organized crime, exacerbate violence, and empower non-state armed actors, thereby undermining governance and public safety. The foundational analysis presented by Andrei Serbin Pont and Alex Miller in the "Small Arms and Light Weapons Black Markets in Latin America" story map established a comprehensive framework for understanding these dynamics (Serbin Pont & Miller, 2022). This report builds upon that essential work, leveraging a new database of open-source seizure incidents to provide a current and granular update on the state of the illicit arms market.

The data analyzed, derived from police operations and journalistic reports compiled in the SALW dashboard from Brazil, Argentina, Panama, and Guatemala, reveals a market that is not only robust but also increasingly sophisticated and adaptive. A rigorous examination of the new dataset uncovers two significant phenomena that represent an evolution in the illicit arms trade. First, there is a proliferation of fake Colt markings on assault rifles. Second, the presence of other specific markings such as the "Punisher" skull, on seized firearms introduces another layer of analysis, indicating that weapons are not merely tools of violence but are also powerful symbols of criminal identity and ideology.

Publication Date

10-21-2025

Publisher

Florida International University

City

Miami

Recommended Citation

Molina, Sofia and Serbin Pont, Andrei, "Ghost Guns, Branded Violence: New Trends in the Weapons Seizures Markings" (2025). Research Publications. 88.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/jgi_research/88