Bulk of illegal guns in B.C. from domestic supply, province tackles trafficking

VICTORIA – A new study says more than half of the illegal guns seized by police in British Columbia over the past three years were purchased, traded or stolen from within Canada.

Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth says most people might think illegal weapons come from the United States or other countries, but police data indicates almost 60 per cent of the guns come from domestic sources.

Farnworth released the findings of a government task force report today, which concludes illegal firearms play an expanding role in criminal activity across the province.

In 2015, criminal use of firearms was linked to 2,000 incidents in B.C. ranging from break and enters to homicides.

Farnworth says police seized 3,000 illegal weapons during investigations of those incidents.

He says the government will create a police unit to tackle weapons trafficking.