{"id":90120,"date":"2018-04-05T14:12:33","date_gmt":"2018-04-05T18:12:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/blog\/?p=90120"},"modified":"2018-04-05T14:12:33","modified_gmt":"2023-08-30T18:40:29","slug":"audit-shows-atf-cant-keep-track-of-ammo-31k-rounds-missing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/audit-shows-atf-cant-keep-track-of-ammo-31k-rounds-missing\/","title":{"rendered":"Audit Shows ATF Can\u2019t Keep Track of Ammo, 31K Rounds Missing"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Audit<\/a>

Thirteen ATF sites are missing a total of 31,000 rounds. The ATF has over 275 offices, which means that the agency could be missing hundreds of thousands of rounds.<\/p><\/div>\n

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives can\u2019t keep track of the ammunition in its possession, a recent government audit showed<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In a video, see below, DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz discusses how the agency lost count of, or as he put it, \u201cunderstated,\u201d at least 31,000 rounds of ammo between FYs 2014 and 2017.<\/p>\n

\u201cBased on the results of our physical inventory of ammunition at 13 sites, we found that the ammunition tracking records were understated by almost 31,000 rounds. Given that ATF has over 275 offices, the quantity of ammunition that is unaccounted nationwide is likely much greater,\u201d states the report.<\/p>\n

Bear in mind, the auditors only examined 13 sites. The agency has over 275 offices. Let\u2019s do the math on this to get an average round count missing per office, and then a total number of rounds presumed to be missing for all locations.<\/p>\n

Thirty-one-thousand divided by 13 equals about 2,384 rounds. Now, 2,384 multiplied by 275 offices equals 655,600 rounds. Even if we want to be conservative, and round down, we\u2019re still looking at over a half a million rounds! Eeeek!<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not good. Not at all. \u201cWhen inventories are inaccurate, there is increased risk that ammunition may be lost, stolen, or misplaced without detection,\u201d as Horowitz noted. Another way of saying they could end up in the hands of very bad people, like known Mexican drug traffickers.<\/p>\n

Maybe we should cut the ATF some slack. Maybe they just had a bad few years and this is an aberration. Right? ATF, after all, has an impeccable track record when it comes to monitoring firearms and ammo\u2026 Wait\u2026 No, they don\u2019t? Operation Fast and Furious<\/a>? What\u2019s Operation Fast and Furious?<\/p>\n

SEE ALSO:\u00a0ATF Comes Under Fire for Treatment of Women in Workplace<\/a><\/h2>\n

Forget Fast and Furious for a moment. The audit indicates that the ATF has had problems keeping track of ammunition for the last 15 years!!! In other words, this isn\u2019t an aberration. This is the norm. ATF, the regulatory body charged with keeping gun owners and gun dealers in line, can\u2019t even keep its own house in order!<\/p>\n

\u201cWe found that ATF\u2019s controls over its ammunition inventories remain inadequate and do not provide accurate inventory counts,\u201d states the report. \u201cThis is particularly concerning considering that prior Treasury and Department of Justice (DOJ) OIG audits \u2013 the first of which was over 15 years ago \u2013 identified and ATF developed policies to address control weaknesses over its ammunition inventories.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSpecifically, we found that ATF is not adequately tracking ammunition, which is considered a sensitive item,\u201d it continues.<\/p>\n