Sydney's gun factories !

Not all the guns arming underworld figures are smuggled into Australia from overseas.  Police have been aware of a thriving production culture developing in Sydney suburbs and intelligence work resulted in raids on three homes this week that netted ten firearms, gun making equipment and 2,200 rounds of ammunition.

It seems that all it takes is very ordinary metal working skill to fashion at least a crude pistol and the machinery to achieve that purpose is readily available from hardware suppliers - and it raises no eyebrows because of the multi use applications that apply.   What is needed to produce a handgun is the type of hardware found in most mechanical handyman's tool kit.

This hand gun epidemic is a relatively new phenomenon.   Guns were a minor part of the Australian crime scene a few decades ago, but since we have had an influx of migrants from the world's troubled spots, many are accustomed to defending their turf with guns and they brought this gun culture with them.  In double quick time, to get peer respect a new entrant on the crime scene needed to display fire power.

Many of today's citizens are alarmed to see our police decked out in body armour, brandishing assault weapons and backed up by what can only be described as a " light tank " with a machine gun mounted in a turret top.   Armed police first appeared in Sydney and Melbourne, but now law enforcement in all the states is caught in an arms race.  It is a sheer matter of survival.   When police are tasked with raiding gang premises they do so with a credible risk of death or injury because there is the prospect of armed resistance from hardened criminals.

All crime is a matter of weighing risks with rewards.   The courts are getting tough on the drug trade and a serious drug importer can expect a long prison term.   It seems that those with the skill to produce at least a crude pistol can see a better return with a lesser risk factor in churning out some sort of weapon.  A few hours work will supply a ready market - and deliver the exchange of at least five thousand dollars cash money as the reward.

The danger is that those with more advanced skills are now looking to new horizons and the grade of weapons is fast moving to locally designed machine guns.   As the sophistication and fire power increases, so do the rewards and now people with advanced metal skills see an opportunity to become crime's armourers.  Why work in a traditional industry for mere wages, when they can become self employed - and make a fortune ?

Once again, that risk to reward ratio needs a re-determination.    If we are serious in trying to stamp out the local gun manufacturing trade, then the penalty for getting caught must be raised to reflect it's major crime status.   Not only must the legislation reflect the crime, it would need the judiciary to impose stiff upper level sentencing - and not deliver the present slap-on-the-wrist penalties that are now common.

As usual, dealing with an emerging crime trend becomes a priority battle between law enforcement and the legislators !