There's a lucrative black market for guns in New York City—at least that's one way to read the news coming from Democratic Mayor Eric Adams' office.
At a press conference on Sunday, Adams and New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced that the department has seized more than 3,000 illegal firearms since the start of 2025. The announcement was part of a larger proclamation touting the success of the Adams administration in reducing violent crime in New York City. "Each gun we take off the street is a river of violence that we are damming," said Adams, who also claims his administration has seized over 22,700 illegal firearms since 2022.
The gun laws in New York state are some of the most restrictive in the nation, and there is no explicit state constitutional right to bear arms. Since 2022, New York City has operated under a "shall-issue" licensing system. However, it still significantly restricts gun ownership and carry rights by requiring permits and licenses for virtually every aspect of firearm ownership and does not recognize permits from other states.
