The International Affairs Division (IAD) manages ATF’s work outside of the United States, partnering with countries around the world to investigate emerging incidents. IAD’s mission is to protect the public against crimes of violence by conducting and coordinating investigations involving transnational criminal organizations. They accomplish this by assisting with international firearm trafficking investigations, law enforcement initiatives and training. IAD staff are strategically located across the globe, with offices in Canada, The Bahamas, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Mexico, Colombia, El Salvador and the Netherlands.
Contact our international offices
Combating Violent Crime
IAD works with international law enforcement agencies in more than 50 countries to reduce firearm trafficking and illegal firearm purchases. IAD’s cases frequently revolve around firearms being illegally trafficked over the northern and southern borders, as well as into the Caribbean; these are a few such examples:
- A Florida-based international firearm trafficking enterprise involving a boyfriend-girlfriend duo who straw-purchased 140 firearms in Florida, of which 24 have been recovered in both The Bahamas and Canada. This prosecution was made possible, in part, by firearms tracing conducted in cooperation with the Royal Bahamas Police Force, the Ontario Provincial Police and ATF’s International Affairs Division.
- A routine traffic stop led to the discovery of 65 firearms that were allegedly en route to be illegally smuggled into Canada; the firearms were discovered during a court-authorized search warrant of the vehicle.
- In an investigation that involved coordination between United States and Mexican law enforcement agencies, the leader of a transnational firearms trafficking organization operating in Nogales, Sonora, along the U.S.-Mexico border, was arrested. The operation resulted in the seizure of firearms and ammunition, and four U.S.-based coordinators and operators with alleged ties to the same firearms trafficking organization have been indicted as well.
- Cooperation between United States and Mexican law enforcement agencies led to an operation that resulted in the arrest of five people and the seizure of 120,000 fentanyl pills, 15 pounds of methamphetamine, 17 pounds of heroin, 15 pounds of cocaine, 3 assault rifles, one 9mm handgun, and a vehicle in Mexico, along with seven U.S.-based coordinators and operators with alleged ties to the same organization who were arrested and indicted in the United States.
International Law Enforcement Academy
IAD and the U.S. Department of State’s International Law Enforcement Academies (ILEAs) provide training to international partners for real-world scenarios including firearms trafficking, arson and explosive-related incidents.
ILEA trainings are expert-led interactive sessions that use a combination of classroom workshops and practical exercises to improve participants’ law enforcement skills. Some of ATF’s course offerings include small firearms trafficking, international post-blast investigations, and arson investigation techniques, as well as gangs and serial number restoration classes.
ATF also co-leads larger ILEA conferences like the Executive Policy and Development Symposium on Transnational Organized Crime which focuses on weapons trafficking and gangs in Latin America and the Caribbean. IAD conducted 8 classes in 2023 and 7 classes in 2024 at the different ILEAs both in the U.S. and internationally to aid interagency law enforcement operations.
Technical Assistance
IAD provides technical support focused on preventing violent crimes to international partners. This includes tracing firearms using ATF’s eTrace system and supporting anti-firearms task forces with international firearm trafficking assessments. During a globally significant event, ATF’s International Response Teams have helped investigate international arson and explosives cases. IAD shares access to ATF resources such as the Bomb Arson Tracking System, eTrace, Forensics and the Fire Research Laboratory to support international criminal investigations.
Anti-Firearms Trafficking Campaign
IAD also manages ATF’s international engagements, outreach and training, which includes international arms trafficking investigation initiatives within the Department of Justice.
ATF and interagency partners launched the Anti-Firearms Trafficking Campaign in 2021 to stop illegal firearm purchases by prohibited individuals and prevent firearms from crossing the border.
Similarly, ATF works to inform Americans traveling internationally, particularly to nearby Caribbean countries, which often have strict regulations on firearms and ammunition, about international firearm trafficking laws and penalties.
