The federal government has seized over 355 websites selling Glock switches and silencers imported from China.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the seizures of the websites through a press release posted on its website. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) teamed up with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, The Massachusetts State Police, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to investigate the sites. The websites were selling Glock switches and suppressors. The Glock switches were marketed as toys, necklaces, and other mundane items. They also were selling suppressors marketed as solvent traps or fuel filters, but unlike actual solvent traps, these needed no finishing by the end users.

The ATF alleges the items violate the National Firearms Act of 1934 (NFA). All Glock switches were produced after May 1986. Because of the Hughes Amendment attached to the Firearms Owner Protection Act (FOPA), the machine gun registry was closed, meaning private individuals legally cannot own Glock switches, whether it is registered or not. To get a suppressor, one must apply for a tax stamp and pay a $200 fee to the ATF. The websites in question ignored those requirements.

“Our office remains committed to protecting our communities from the dangers posed by illegal firearms and firearm accessories, wherever the evidence takes us,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “The seizure of these domains is a critical step in disrupting the flow of dangerous contraband that threatens public safety. Those who attempt to exploit online platforms to traffic in highly lethal firearm parts will be held accountable. We will continue to pursue and dismantle these illicit networks wherever they operate to uphold the integrity of our laws and safeguard our communities.”

Homeland Security Investigators (HSI) within the Cyber Investigations division purchased the devices online from the targeted websites. The items were shipped to a controlled address run by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The items were tracked back to China by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

“The results of this investigation have, to date, resulted in the seizure of over 700 devices which would covert a firearm into a machine gun, 87 illegal suppressors, 59 handguns, 36 long guns, as well as the seizure of 355 websites which were used to facilitate the trafficking of these items. The proliferation of readily available devices which allow the illegal manufacturing of machine guns is a plague on our communities. The Postal Inspection Service is committed to working with our state and federal partners to identify those who use the Postal Service to traffic these weapons, remove these illicit items from the mail, and increase the safety of our communities and the Postal Service employees who serve them,” said Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division.

Although the investigation took over a year and millions of dollars, the result might be temporary. Websites like the ones that the government shut down pop up one day and are gone the next. The sites will be back online under a new domain name soon if they aren’t already. This situation is a cat-and-mouse game. In this case, the cat is the federal government, and the mouse doesn’t care.

About John Crump

Mr. Crump is an NRA instructor and a constitutional activist. John has written about firearms, interviewed people from all walks of life, and on the Constitution. John lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and sons, follow him on X at @crumpyss, or at www.crumpy.com.