Photo: BRYAN R. SMITH / AFP / Getty Images
An investigation by CBS News Texas I-Team found that thousands of guns meant to be destroyed were stripped of their parts and sold online.
Over the past five years, 15 law enforcement agencies in northern Texas have been shipping guns to Gulf Coast GunBusters so they can be destroyed. The company offers free gun disposal services for law enforcement agencies.
Most of the guns were confiscated during criminal investigations or dropped off as part of a gun buyback program.
Since 2019, at least 2,600 guns have been sent to the Louisiana-based company for disposal.
However, the company didn't completely destroy the guns. Instead, they disassembled the guns and destroyed only the lower receiver. They then took the remaining parts and sold them online as gun repair kits, which do not require a background check to purchase.
Under federal law, the receiver, which is where the serial number is located, is considered the actual gun, while the rest of the parts are unregulated. The company is following the law by destroying the lower receiver because the gun is considered destroyed.
While several police departments didn't realize this was happening, the contracts explain that the company sells salvaged parts and metal from the guns it destroys.
After being contacted by reporters, seven police departments terminated their contracts with the company. Other departments defended the practice, saying it was the most cost-efficient way to dispose of the weapons.