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There is a “high risk” that weapons from the Ukraine war will “leak” into criminal black markets, including in Ireland, Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan has told the Seanad.
Addressing the chamber this week, he was discussing “Ireland’s proposed opt-in to a new EU proposal for a directive on combating firearms trafficking and other firearms-related offences”, and said that the country would seek to be part of the negotiations around what form this might take.
“Opting in to this proposal now represents an important opportunity for Ireland to reiterate our commitment to the importance of tackling illicit firearms, the trafficking of which poses a serious threat to both our own and our European neighbours’ security and beyond,” he said.
He added that this would create a “common EU criminal law framework” to combat the illicit trafficking, manufacture, possession and distribution of firearms, in an effort to tackle organised crime, terrorism and emerging technologies like 3D-printed guns.
“The European Commission’s proposal will introduce common definitions of firearms offences and penalties, support stronger co-operation and improve the collection and use of data,” he said.
“As we are all aware, illicit firearms pose a serious threat to the safety of all EU citizens. They enable a wide range of serious and organised crimes, including drug trafficking, robbery and gang violence. The issue has intensified due to geopolitical events in geographical proximity to the Union.”
He specified that there was a “high risk” due to ongoing conflicts near Europe, including the Ukraine war in particular.
“There is a high risk that the surplus of weapons from ongoing conflicts, such as the one in Ukraine, will leak into illegal markets,” he said.
“An Garda Síochána has discussed this matter with me. It is an issue we have to be constantly vigilant for.”
He said that the lack of data on 3D printed firearm blueprints circulating online was “making it more challenging for law enforcement and policymakers to assess the scale of this threat.”
“Despite this, firearms trafficking has been consistently identified as a major internal security threat to the EU,” he said.
“As well as the need for harmonisation of criminal standards being highlighted in the 2025 ProtectEU internal security strategy, there are significant differences in how firearms-related crimes are defined and punished across the member states. This lack of harmonisation hinders cross-border co-operation and complicates investigations.”
He added: “Harmonised EU-level action will also support broader security goals as firearms crimes are closely linked to terrorism, money laundering, drug trafficking and other types of organised crimes.
“In Ireland, we already have robust legislation safeguarding the use of firearms through the Firearms Act 1925, although that Act could probably do with modernisation. However, this directive represents the first firearms trafficking measure at EU level.”
The Seanad vote on whether to progress this motion passed 30 votes to 6.
As far back as 2022, at the outbreak of the Ukraine war, Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) had said that it believes criminals across Europe have acquired military arms which were meant to go to Ukrainian forces to help with their war against Russia.
“Weapons shipped to Ukraine have also been found in Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands,” said NBI Detective Superintendent Christer Ahlgren at the time.
“We’ve seen signs of these weapons already finding their way to Finland.
“Three of the world’s largest motorcycle gangs – that are part of larger international organisations – are active in Finland. One of these is Bandidos MC, which has a unit in every major Ukrainian city.
“We know that contacts and routes are being warmed up, so that they’re in place.”
That same year, Gript highlighted how Italian newspaper Il Giornale reported that Western military equipment is already being sold out of Ukraine illegally using the encrypted messaging app Telegram.
In addition to Soviet-era AK47s, weapons sold also reportedly include firearms made in NATO countries such as the American M16 and M4, and the Italian ARX 160 A1.
Fears advanced Ukraine weapons may reach Europe’s black market
Additionally, in early 2022, an ex-PSNI superintendent already warned that many thousands of “combat-grade” anti-tank weapons sent to Ukraine from Belfast may ultimately end up in the possession of dissident republicans and loyalists in Northern Ireland, because about 17,000 NLAW rocket launchers had been sent to Ukraine but not tracked, and that smugglers could sell them to interested parties.
Thousands of anti-tank weapons could go to NI paramilitaries
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