The illegal arms trade is a problem that impacts every country in the world, and civilian populations bear the brunt of human rights violations associated with this trade. The United Nations (UN) Office for Disarmament Affairs (2013) explains the problem as “a worldwide scourge.” Similarly, security reports published by the European Union (EU) frequently note that illicit arms trafficking presents a serious threat to security within and outside the EU. This special issue of the European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research brings together contributions from academics and practitioners from different parts of the world in an effort to study the illicit firearms market in Europe and beyond. It examines the political, criminal and cultural demand for weapons across socio-cultural space as well as the roles that states, violent non-state actors and civilians play in this market. It aims to explain the need for, and supply of, illicit firearms in Europe, Africa, Latin America, North Amer ...