New Mexico Firearms Trafficking and Crime Gun Fact Sheet
New Mexico is facing a crime gun crisis—and the evidence points squarely at the state’s own federally licensed gun dealers. In 2023 alone, law enforcement recovered and traced 4,847 crime guns across New Mexico. Of those, 78 percent (3,766) were originally purchased through Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs). Even more troubling, more than three-quarters of those guns—2,905 firearms—were sold by FFLs operating within New Mexico.1ATF, “Firearms Trace Data 2023,” December 2024, https://www.atf.gov/resource-center/firearms-trace-data-2023. See Firearm Types Recovered and Traced in the United States and Territories and Time-to-Crime – Firearms Sourced and Recovered in the United States and Territories.
Many New Mexico crime guns show indicia of trafficking. Approximately 47 percent of all crime guns recovered in New Mexico were purchased less than three years before their recovery—a key red flag for illegal trafficking.2ATF, “Firearms Trace Data: New Mexico – 2023,” December 2024, https://www.atf.gov/resource-center/firearms-trace-data-new-mexico-2023. See Time-To-Crime Rates for Firearms with a New Mexico Recovery. Additionally, between 2017 and 2021, more than 89 percent of crime guns were recovered in the possession of someone other than the purchaser, another significant indication of firearm trafficking. Based on this data, it is estimated that 1,565 crime guns recovered in New Mexico in 2023 were likely funneled from FFLs to obvious traffickers and ultimately to violent criminals.
According to the ATF trafficking investigations studied in the National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment (NFCTA), nearly 90 percent of trafficking cases involve a possessor that is prohibited from legally possessing a firearm. Additionally, possessors or recipients of trafficked guns tend to be convicted felons (60 percent), known gang members (29 percent), or drug users or drug traffickers (22 percent).3ATF, “National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment ( NFCTA), Volume III: Firearms Trafficking Investigations—Part VI: Characteristics of Firearm Traffickers, End Users, and Defendants,” April 2024, 1, https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/report/nfcta-volume-iii-part-vi/download. See table CFT-25a. Trafficked firearms are more likely to be used in violent crimes.
Despite there being roughly 670 active FFLs in New Mexico, it is estimated that just 115 are actively selling firearms.4According to NFCTA research, actual sales are concentrated among a small subset of this overall group of licensees: just 15 percent of gun dealers account for 90 percent of all retail gun sales, 38 percent of pawnbrokers are responsible for 91 percent of pawnshop sales, and 17 percent of manufacturers are responsible for 96 percent of retail sales conducted by manufacturers. ATF, “National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment ( NFCTA), Volume I: Firearms in Commerce,” May 2022, 67–68, https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/report/national-firearms-commerce-and-trafficking-assessment-firearms-commerce-volume/download. See Tables SD-03: “Total Type 01 FFLs and EMSV by EMSV Range, 2017–2020;” SD-04: “Type 02 FFLs and EMSV Range, 2017–2020”; and SD-05: “Type 07 FFLs and EMSV Range, 2017–2020.” Further, based on crime gun recoveries between 2017 and 2021, nearly 63% of all New Mexico crime guns were recovered within 50 miles of the FFL they were purchased from.5ATF, “National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment ( NFCTA), New Mexico State Report,” November 2023, https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/report/new-mexico-state-report/download. See Crime Guns Sourced From This State, 2017 – 2021. In other words, stop a few FFLs, and you can make a huge impact on violent gun crime.
This isn’t an abstract national issue—it’s a local supply chain problem. And without meaningful action, it will continue to fuel violence in New Mexico communities.
Traced Crime Guns by Type
In 2023, 4,847 crime guns were recovered in New Mexico and subsequently traced. New Mexico ranked 29th in the U.S. for most traces of crime guns recovered in 2023, but when considering population, New Mexico had the 5th most traces per 100,000 people.6Everytown analysis of ATF Firearms Trace Data 2023 and Census Population Data 2023.
| Type7ATF, “Firearms Trace Data: New Mexico – 2023,” December 2024, https://www.atf.gov/resource-center/firearms-trace-data-new-mexico-2023. See “Firearm Types with a New Mexico Recovery.” | Recovered and Traced | Percentage of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Pistols | 3,161 | 65% |
| Rifles | 710 | 15% |
| Revolvers | 417 | 9% |
| Shotguns | 336 | 7% |
| Receivers/Frames | 100 | 2% |
| Machineguns/Machinegun Conversion Devices | 82 | 2% |
Top Five Source States for Crime Guns Recovered in New Mexico8Source State known in 3,766 traces.
New Mexico FFLs supply 77 percent of all crime guns recovered in the state.9ATF, “Firearms Trace Data: New Mexico – 2023,” December 2024, https://www.atf.gov/resource-center/firearms-trace-data-new-mexico-2023. See “Top 15 Source States for Firearms with a New Mexico Recovery, 2023.” The state is its own source of crime guns, making it a viable target for trafficking reduction strategies aimed at local dealers.
| State | Number of Crime Guns Traced | Percent of Traces |
|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | 2,905 | 77% |
| Texas | 254 | 7% |
| Arizona | 111 | 3% |
| Colorado | 77 | 2% |
| California | 30 | Less than 1% |
Time-To-Crime of Traced Firearms Recovered in New Mexico10TTC known in 3,747 traces.
Forty-seven percent (1,769) of all crime guns were purchased less than three years prior to recovery in a crime. The rapid movement from purchase to use in a crime strongly indicates New Mexico has a significant trafficking problem.
| TTC11ATF, “Firearms Trace Data: New Mexico – 2023,” December 2024, https://www.atf.gov/resource-center/firearms-trace-data-new-mexico-2023. See Firearm Types with a New Mexico Recovery. See Time-To-Crime Rates for Firearms with a New Mexico Recovery. | Number of Traces | Percentage of Traces |
|---|---|---|
| Less Than 1 Year | 804 | 21% |
| Less Than 3 Years | 1,759 | 47% |
Federal Firearms Licensees in New Mexico12ATF, State Federal Firearms Listings, August 2025, New Mexico, https://www.atf.gov/firearms/listing-federal-firearms-licensees/state?field_ffl_date_value%5Bvalue%5D%5Byear%5D=2025&ffl_date_month%5Bvalue%5D%5Bmonth%5D=8&field_state_value=NM.
Currently, there are 673 active FFLs in New Mexico; however, based on NFCTA research, just 15 percent of retail dealers, 38 percent of pawnbrokers, and about 17 percent of manufacturers account for 90 percent of all firearm sales. Based on this information, there are about 115 FFLs actively selling firearms, providing a more manageable number for oversight.13ATF, “National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment ( NFCTA), Volume I: Firearms in Commerce— Part V: Selling and Distribution,” May 2022, https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/report/national-firearms-commerce-and-trafficking-assessment-firearms-commerce-volume/download. NFCTA Volume I, Part V, See tables SD-03, 04, and 05.
| Type of FFL | Number of Active FFLs | Percentage of FFLs |
|---|---|---|
| Type 01 – Dealer | 412 | 61% |
| Type 02 – Pawnbroker | 45 | 7% |
| Type 07 – Manufacturer | 210 | 31% |
| Type 08 – Importer | 6 | Less than 1% |
Method of Firearm Trafficking
According to ATF Phoenix Field Division, which covers New Mexico, of trafficking investigations conducted between 2017 and 2021, 475 cases involved unlicensed dealing and 465 involved straw purchasing.14ATF, “National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment ( NFCTA), Volume III: Firearms Trafficking Investigations—Part III: Firearm Trafficking Channels and Methods Used,” April 2024, 2, https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/report/nfcta-volume-iii-part-iii/download. See Appendix FTC-05. The cases encompass the ATF Phoenix Field Division which oversees Arizona and New Mexico. Nationally, nearly 24 percent of ATF trafficking cases involving straw purchasing were linked to at least one shooting, and 16 percent of unlicensed dealing cases were linked to at least one shooting.15ATF, “National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment ( NFCTA), Volume III: Firearms Trafficking Investigations—Part IX: Investigation Outcomes,” April 2024, 2, https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/report/nfcta-volume-iii-part-ix/download. See Table IO-06. FFL oversight and accountability are critical in reducing firearm trafficking driven by unlicensed sellers and straw purchasers.
| Method of Trafficking | Number of Cases | Percentage of Total Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Unlicensed Dealing | 475 | 47% |
| Straw Purchasing | 465 | 46% |
| FFL Theft | 58 | 6% |
| Private Party Theft | 16 | 2% |
Additional Crime Gun Data 2017–202116ATF, “National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment (NFCTA), New Mexico State Report,” November 2023, https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/report/new-mexico-state-report/download. See page 3.
Between 2017 and 2021, nearly 16,000 crime guns were recovered in New Mexico and traced by law enforcement, of which more than 78 percent were traced to a purchase from a New Mexico FFL. Further, more than 48 percent of these crime guns were purchased less than three years prior to recovery, and only 11 percent were recovered in the possession of the purchaser. These statistics further highlight the fact that New Mexico’s violent gun crime is fueled by traffickers who obtain their crime guns from local FFLs.
| Total Crime Guns Recovered and Traced | 15,923 |
| Total Traced to a Purchaser from an FFL | 12,480 |
| Total Traced to a New Mexico FFL | 9,744 |
Distance Between FFL Purchase Location and Crime Gun Recovery Location
Approximately 56% (5,507) of all New Mexico crime guns were recovered within 10 miles of the FFL they were purchased from.17ATF, “National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment ( NFCTA), New Mexico State Report,” November 2023, https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/report/new-mexico-state-report/download. See Crime Guns Recovered and Traced, 2017-2021. Nearly 48 percent (7,568) of crime guns were recovered in Albuquerque; the 130 FFLs operating in Albuquerque are the suppliers of the majority of crime guns used to terrorize the city.
| Distance in Miles18ATF, “National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment ( NFCTA), New Mexico State Report,” November 2023, https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/report/new-mexico-state-report/download. See Crime Guns Sourced From This State, 2017 – 2021. | Number of Crime Guns Recovered and Traced | Percentage of Total Traces |
|---|---|---|
| 0-10 | 5,507 | 56% |
| 11-25 | 764 | 8% |
| 26-50 | 365 | 4% |
| 51-100 | 602 | 6% |
| 101-200 | 667 | 7% |
| 201-300 | 407 | 4% |
| More than 300 | 1,608 | 16% |
Shootings and NIBIN Leads
According to NFCTA research of ATF firearm trafficking investigations, approximately 15 percent of trafficked firearms are used in shootings.19ATF, “National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment ( NFCTA), Volume III: Firearms Trafficking Investigations—Part IX: Investigation Outcomes,” April 2024, 5, https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/report/nfcta-volume-iii-part-ix/download. In order to disrupt those who pull the trigger, you must stop the traffickers and their FFL suppliers. The median time-to-first-shooting of just 1.5 years for recovered pistols in New Mexico indicates the perpetrators were likely armed by traffickers.20ATF, “National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment ( NFCTA), New Mexico State Report,” November 2023, https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/report/new-mexico-state-report/download. See page 6.
| Total Casings and Test Fires Entered into NIBIN | 18,351 |
| NIBIN Leads | 4,602 |
| NIBIN Lead Rate | 25% |
| Total Pistols Recovered and Test Fired | 7,390 |
| Pistols with NIBIN Leads | 703 |
| Lead Rate from Pistol Test Fires | 10% |
| Median Time-to-First-Shooting (TTFS) | 1.5 years |
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