Nearly 4.500 firearms were seized in Rio from January to July.

From January to July of this year, 324 rifles, 22 submachine guns, 2.063 pistols, and 2.049 revolvers were seized throughout the state of Rio, according to the Institute of Public Security (ISP). To combat the illegal arms trade, the Specialized Weapons, Ammunition, and Explosives Division (Desarme) is using technology in its investigative and intelligence work.

A new computer system currently under development will compile detailed information into a database to support investigations. This will give investigators precise information on every weapon seized in the state.

According to the head of the Disarmament Unit, André Leiras, in order to produce more accurate statistical data, the unit proposed some systemic changes to the Civil Police's IT department, so as to make the information presented more reliable. "The proposal is that, after the forensic examination, this data will be returned to the system. This will provide more support for the investigation."

With the new model, investigators will have access to extra information. Leiras emphasized that every seized weapon is examined and that, during this verification, data emerges that is not included in the initial record. These are technical details that only the expert can provide. "It is these minutiae that allow us to know, for example, the origin of manufacture of the artifact. It is possible to identify whether an AK-47 is Russian or Chinese."

André Leiras also informed that, according to the proposal, all forensic reports will be automatically incorporated into the database. “We want to find the origin of these rifles. To know what route they took to get to Rio, and who the people or criminal organizations involved are.”

Information exchange

The Disarmament Unit constantly exchanges information with all police stations of the Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro and other states. In addition, it works in partnership with national and international agencies, such as the American DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) and ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives). Also on the list are the Federal Police, the Federal Highway Police, the Federal Revenue Service, and the Army, as well as intelligence agencies.

With the current work, it is possible to produce qualified investigations based on intelligence information. According to Desarme, a rifle is worth between R$ 50 and R$ 70 on the black market. In a legal purchase, in the United States, for example, the weapon would be worth 1,5 dollars.

All entry points to the state are subject to inspection. As a result, in June, the Civil Police seized 60 assault rifles at Rio de Janeiro's international airport, which had arrived from Miami.