INTERPOL iARMS
Definition
INTERPOL's Illicit Arms Records and tracing Management System. Multilateral database enabling law enforcement in INTERPOL member countries to trace recovered or seized firearms against records of stolen and lost weapons submitted by member countries, with a bilateral link to ATF's eTrace for US-manufactured weapons.
- Type
- Multilateral firearms tracing database managed by INTERPOL
- Access
- Law enforcement in INTERPOL member countries
- Primary use
- Tracing recovered or seized firearms against records of stolen and lost weapons
- US connection
- Bilateral link to ATF's eTrace for weapons manufactured in the United States
Common questions
What is INTERPOL iARMS used for?+
INTERPOL iARMS lets law enforcement in INTERPOL member countries trace firearms that have been seized or recovered. They check these weapons against a multilateral database of stolen and lost guns that other member countries have submitted. This helps identify where a weapon came from and if it has been used in crimes elsewhere.
How does iARMS connect to other countries' records?+
Member countries submit their own records of stolen and lost weapons to the database. For weapons manufactured in the US, iARMS has a direct bilateral link to the ATF's eTrace system, so law enforcement can check American firearms against US records.
Why do serial numbers matter in iARMS?+
Serial numbers are how forensic examiners match a specific gun to the database. When serial numbers are erased during restoration work, those results get added to international tracing submissions through iARMS, making the match usable across borders.
Related terms
- Arms Trade Treaty 2013 (ATT)
- The first legally binding global instrument governing the international trade in conventional arms. In force 24 December 2014; 113 state parties as...
- ASTM E2885-13
- ASTM International standard practice for restoration of obliterated vehicle identification numbers; the reference protocol for VIN casework in US and internationally aligned...
- Backscattered Electron (BSE) Imaging
- An SEM imaging mode sensitive to atomic number and crystallographic texture; can reveal grain-boundary elongation patterns in the sub-surface cold-worked zone after...
- Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act 1993
- US federal statute establishing the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) administered by the FBI. Requires FFLs to conduct a NICS...
- Cold-Working Stress Field
- Residual plastic deformation and elevated dislocation density in a metal lattice created by stamping; persists below the visible surface even after surface...
- Davis Reagent
- Variant etchant for steel using cupric ammonium chloride (Cu(NH4)2Cl4) in dilute HCl. Slower acting than Fry's, sometimes preferred when contrast on Fry's...
- DC V. Heller (2008)
- US Supreme Court decision (554 US 570) holding that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to keep and bear arms for...
- Electrolytic Etching
- Electrochemical alternative to chemical etchants. The part is the anode in an electrolyte bath; controlled current selectively dissolves the strained metal at...
- eTrace (ATF)
- ATF's electronic firearms trace system. Allows domestic and (via bilateral agreements and iARMS) international law enforcement agencies to submit serial-number trace requests...
- Firearms Act 1968 (UK)
- The primary UK statute governing firearms. Section 1 requires a Firearm Certificate (FAC) for most firearms; section 2 requires a Shotgun Certificate;...
- Fry's Reagent
- Classical etchant for plain carbon and low-alloy steel: 40 g cupric chloride (CuCl2) + 90 mL concentrated HCl + 100 mL water....
- Gun Control Act 1968 (GCA)
- US federal statute establishing the Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) system for commercial sales, the Form 4473 record, and the prohibited-person categories under...
Explained in these topics
- Global Firearms Law: ATF, UK Firearms Act, Arms Trade TreatyINTERPOL's Illicit Arms Records and tracing Management System. Multilateral database enabling law enforcement in INTERPOL member countries to trace recovered o...
- Restoration of Erased Serial NumbersINTERPOL's Illicit Arms Records and Tracing Management System; incorporates serial number restoration results into international firearms tracing submissions.