Chicago Police Blame Facebook For Illegal Gun, Drug Sales
CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago police say investigators have arrested more than 50 people accused of using private Facebook groups and messages to sell guns or drugs.
The department's new interim superintendent and other officials also blamed the social media company for complicating such cases by taking down investigators' fake profiles during a Tuesday press conference announcing results of the two-year investigation.
A message seeking comment from Facebook's press office was not immediately returned Tuesday. The company's policies ban fake accounts.
Today, we announced the results of an undercover operation targeting illegal gun and drug sales on Facebook. Seven weapons were seized during the controlled buys.
— Chicago Police (@Chicago_Police) December 3, 2019
Watch here ????: https://t.co/gjB5Z3NgPY#OperationFaceBOOKED #CPDMediaCar pic.twitter.com/wnCA5HA4af
Facebook in 2016 prohibited all private firearms sales on its site or Instagram.
Chicago police, though, said dealers are "emboldened" by using private groups that allow them to limit who sees posts about firearms and drugs for sale.
Officials said the guns sell quickly and it's difficult to know where they wind up.
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