Guns sent off by Texas police departments to be destroyed were stripped of parts and sold online
DALLAS – Thousands of guns sent off by North Texas local law enforcement agencies to be destroyed were first stripped of parts that were then sold online by a private company.
Several police departments told the CBS News Texas I-Team they were unaware of this practice, even though it was stated in the contracts they signed with the company, Gulf Coast GunBusters.
An investigation by the CBS News Texas I-Team found in the past five years, 15 North Texas law enforcement agencies have contracted with the Louisiana-based company to dispose of their unwanted guns. Since 2019, these North Texas police and sheriff departments have sent Gulf Coast GunBusters more than 2,600 guns.
Law enforcement agencies often accumulate a stockpile of firearms that need proper disposal. These firearms can come from seizures during criminal investigations as well as gun buyback programs.
Gulf Coast GunBusters provides free firearm destruction services for law enforcement. However, before destroying the guns, the company strips the firearm for parts and destroys only the gun receiver. Subsequently, the remaining parts are sold through an online gun broker, where they are marketed as gun repair kits. These kits can be sold without a background check.
According to federal law, the receiver is considered the actual gun so by destroying this one part that bears a serial number, the firearm is considered destroyed. Everything else are unregulated parts.
In contracts signed by local police chiefs, GunBusters outlines how it will sell salvaged parts and scrap metals. However, in many cases, the I-Team found these contracts received little scrutiny when they were signed.
Seven North Texas police agencies told the I-Team that they recently stopped using the service when they learned parts were being resold as gun kits. (Allen Police, Dallas Co. Sheriff, Denton Police, Everman Police, Frisco Police, Lewisville Police, and Princeton Police)
Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins expressed surprise at the salvaged parts being sold online. He acknowledged he was unaware of this until the I-Team brought the issue to the county's attention.
In 2022, the Dallas County Commissioners approved a five-year contract with Gulf Coast GunBusters. During the Commissioner's Court meeting, there was no public discussion about the contract, as it was placed on the consent agenda, where routine and non-controversial items are addressed.
Last month, Jenkins stopped the transfer of firearms to GunBusters, including the more than 130 firearms collected in February from the Dallas County Sheriff's first ever gun buyback event.
"If we're saying we want to get dangerous guns off the street, then if someone comes up with a loophole to build 'ghost guns' out of destroyed guns, then we're going to close that loophole," Jenkins said.
Dallas County is currently working on a revised agreement with GunBusters for the destruction of the complete firearm including all parts. GunBusters offers this service for a fee.
It's unclear how much the county may have to pay to have their firearms destroyed completely but it can be expensive with it costing around $70 per gun.
Gulf Coast GunBusters' owner, a former law enforcement officer, declined to comment to the I-Team.
The company's website promotes its process as safe, secure, and free for law enforcement agencies. Several North Texas police departments, including McKinney, Hurst, Haltom City, Richland Hills and North Richland Hills, continue to use GunBusters for disposing of unwanted firearms.
In a statement to the I-Team, the McKinney Police Department confirmed awareness of GunBusters' practice: "We are aware that under the agreement, GunBusters may sell salvaged parts and scrap metals. This service is provided at no cost to McKinney taxpayers. The McKinney Police Department believes this to be an efficient way to dispose of these items."
While the federal government does not regulate or require a license for businesses involved in firearm destruction, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) recommends disposing firearms by destroying the entire weapon including all unregulated parts.
ATF spokesperson Kristina Mastropasqua said, "This is particularly true given the increasing criminal use of untraceable privately made firearms ("ghost guns"), which are often assembled with used firearm parts."
When ATF destroys firearms, it includes all parts, not just the frame or receiver. ATF does not resell firearms or firearm parts.
Several Texas police departments said finding vendors to destroy unwanted firearms can be difficult.
The Fort Worth Police Department employs a steel mill in Midlothian, where guns are melted to dispose of confiscated firearms. Meanwhile, the Dallas Police Department does not disclose the specific location where it destroys firearms but asserts that department auditors closely monitor the entire process to ensure proper destruction of every gun.