New Jersey's attorney general on Tuesday sent warning letters to manufacturers of unregistered "ghost guns" as state lawmakers pursue a formal ban on the sale of firearm parts used to make untraceable homemade guns.
"These weapons are illegal in our state," Attorney General Gurbir Grewal wrote in the letter. "Your actions violate the laws of New Jersey and, if you do not stop these activities within 15 days, I will bring legal action against your company."
The letter targeted companies advertising online for the sale of "unregistered and unserialized firearms – including assault weapons – constructed, at least in part, by the purchaser."
It is unclear which companies were sent the warning. Grewal's office declined to disclose the names of the letter's recipients and would not say how many letters were sent.
"We are not releasing any additional information at this time, as we hope these companies will comply with our cease and desist letter," said Lee Moore, a spokesman for the attorney general. "Should they fail to do so, we will be initiating public legal action against them."
Supporters of the state crackdown say people who would otherwise be prohibited from legally buying a gun can purchase parts one piece at time and assemble them using kits that can be ordered online.
The letters were sent a day before Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat and vocal gun control advocate who appointed Grewal as the state's top law enforcement official, is expected to sign a package of gun control measures into law.
In a statement Tuesday, Murphy praised the move and called on federal lawmakers to step in as well.
"Time and again, Congress has failed to deliver real gun safety legislation for the people of this country," the governor said. "New Jersey refuses to stand idly by and will take aggressive actions on its own.
Another bill still awaiting legislative approval would criminalize the ownership of any gun that doesn't have a serial number. The "ghost gun" measure (S2465) was passed with support from Republicans and Democrats in the state Senate and awaits a vote in the Assembly.
The attorney general's spokesman said while that measure could provide "an additional tool" to crack down on unregistered firearms his office is "able to pursue ghost gun retailers under the state's existing ban on assault firearms, given that the law prohibits the sale of component parts of an assault firearm and other assault firearm assembly kits."
Grewal's letter claims the advertisement of certain kits or component parts that could be used to create "assault weapons" violates the state's current gun laws as well as the state Consumer Fraud Act.
