Weapons diversion is a situation in which weapons and ammunition are taken from their originally intended recipients. This can include equipment originally planned for use by the armed forces of one country being sold to a different country, but the most common cause of weapons diversion involves the capture of weapons during warfare. Weapons diversion can contribute to

arms trafficking Arms trafficking or gunrunning is the illicit trade of contraband small arms and ammunition, which constitutes part of a broad range of illegal activities often associated with transnational criminal organizations. The illegal trade of small a ...

and other forms of

organized crime Organized crime (or organised crime) is a category of transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals to engage in illegal activity, most commonly for profit. While organized crime is generally th ...

Battlefield capture

Across 321 cases involving 183 weapons and 3,600 rounds of ammunition,

Conflict Armament Research Conflict Armament Research (CAR) is a UK-based investigative organization that tracks the supply of conventional weapons, ammunition, and related military materiel (such as IEDs) into conflict-affected areas. Established in 2011, CAR specialises in ...

found that 30% of all weapons diversion was due to battlefield capture. Of the weapons captured, 16% had been manufactured within the last eight years, meaning that diversion can occur within just a few years of the initial manufacture and export.

Prevention

The prevention of weapons diversion was a significant part of the 2014

Arms Trade Treaty The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) is a multilateral treaty that regulates the international trade in conventional weapons. It entered into force on 24 December 2014. 113 states have ratified the treaty, and a further 28 states have signed but not ra ...

. As part of the treaty, signatories are required to implement mitigation measures in arms sales and to assess the likelihood of diversion.

References

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External links

The Loss of Arms and Ammunition in Peace Operations: Mapping and Addressing the Challenge
(Jefferson Brehm, Global Peace Operations Review)
Making a Tough Job More Difficult: Loss of Arms and Ammunition in Peace Operations
(Eric G. Berman et al,

Small Arms Survey The Small Arms Survey (SAS) is an independent research project located at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland. It provides information on all aspects of small arms and armed violence, as a resour ...

) Arms control Weapons trade Organized crime activity