By Y.M. Lowy

New York City police say more than 1,000 illegal guns have been taken off the streets so far this year, including hundreds of “ghost guns” that have no serial numbers and are difficult to trace.

The weapons recovered also included handguns and assault-style rifles. Investigators say many of them were trafficked into New York from out of state before ending up in city neighborhoods.

The seizures are tied to ongoing efforts targeting gangs and illegal gun pipelines. In one recent case, a suspect was accused of shipping firearms from Florida into New York.

So far this year, there’s been a noticeable drop in gun violence, with shootings down about 25% compared to the same time last year. Some areas have seen even sharper declines.

State officials are increasing efforts to crack down on illegal gun modifications, including devices that can convert handguns into fully automatic weapons.