Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced on Feb. 8 that he is calling upon three credit card companies to show responsible corporate citizenship by stopping online payments for the purchase of ghost gun kits.

“American Express, Mastercard and Visa have the ability to go beyond what any law enforcement agency, legislature or City Council can accomplish,” Gascón said. “We are asking these companies to join us in stemming the flow of ghost guns into our communities by preventing a ghost gun kit from being sold with a few mere clicks on a smartphone or computer.”

Gascón was joined by Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore and San Gabriel Police Chief Gene Harris, who is president of the Los Angeles County Police Chiefs’ Association, in urging the credit card companies to halt online transactions involving ghost guns.

Ghost guns are firearms kits sold primarily on the internet for approximately $350-$500. The set of parts that arrives by mail can be assembled into a working firearm with no serial numbers, Gascón said. The firearms are untraceable by law enforcement.

The weapons are purchased without background checks, often merely requiring the buyer to self-certify. This means that someone who is legally disqualified from owning a firearm because of a felony or domestic violence conviction, mental illness or being under the age to purchase a gun can easily buy a ghost gun kit by making a false and untested certification, Gascón added.

In 2015, the credit card companies came together to cease allowing their networks to be used for processing payments on backpage.com, which was accused of facilitating sex trafficking. Gascón and law enforcement officials are calling on credit card companies to take a similar approach with the manufacturers of ghost gun kits.

Since 2017, the number of ghost guns seized by the LAPD has increased by approximately 400%. In 2020, the LAPD recovered 813 ghost guns. During the first 11 months of 2021, the number of ghost guns recovered more than doubled to 1,780. Last August, LAPD reported that ghost guns accounted for 33% of all guns recovered in criminal investigations.

The proliferation of ghost guns has corresponded with a sharp rise in violent crime, authorities said. During the first 10 months of 2021, the LAPD reported that ghost guns had been used in 24 murders, eight attempted murders, 60 assaults with a deadly weapon and 20 armed robberies. For information, visit da.lacounty.gov.