US Seizes Over 350 Websites Used to Import Gun Parts from China, Reports Reuters

By Nate Raymond

BOSTON – U.S. authorities announced on Wednesday that they have seized over 350 websites that were selling gun silencers and parts from China, which were being used to convert semiautomatic pistols into fully automatic machine guns.

Federal prosecutors in Boston revealed that these seizures were the result of an investigation that began in August 2023. The investigation targeted various websites, businesses, and individuals involved in the illegal sale and importation of machine gun conversion devices.

Law enforcement conducted undercover purchases from these websites, resulting in shipments from China that falsely labeled their contents as items like "necklace" or "toys." However, the packages actually contained illegal machine gun conversion devices referred to as "switches" and silencers, which cannot be imported under the National Firearms Act.

Many of the websites were found to be selling counterfeit goods and had misused the trademark of gun manufacturer Glock Inc. to imply that the switches were manufactured by the company, even though they were not, according to court documents.

"The seizure of these domains is a critical step in disrupting the flow of dangerous contraband that threatens public safety," said Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy in Massachusetts.

As part of this investigation, authorities have seized more than 700 machine gun conversion devices, 87 illegal suppressors, 59 handguns, and 46 long guns, along with the 355 websites. Ketty Larco-Ward, inspector in charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division, emphasized the ongoing challenge, stating, "The proliferation of readily available devices which allow the illegal manufacturing of machine guns is a plague on our communities."