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Arms Unlimited accused of selling and shipping large-capacity magazines to New Jersey, violating state laws.
6-04-2024 1:40pm
New Jersey Files Suit Against Nevada Company for Unlawful Sale of High-Capacity Magazines
The state takes action against Arms Unlimited for allegedly violating local gun control laws.
MORRISTOWN, NJ – Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division of Consumer Affairs have initiated a civil lawsuit against Arms Unlimited, Inc., a Nevada-based firearms retailer, for illegally selling and delivering high-capacity ammunition magazines (LCMs) into New Jersey. This legal action addresses the sale of over two dozen LCMs to New Jersey residents, including transactions made to an undercover investigator from the Division.
Under New Jersey law, it is illegal to possess firearm magazines that can hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition. Despite this, Arms Unlimited is alleged to have sold at least 30 such magazines capable of holding 11 to 20 rounds over a three-year period. The lawsuit, filed in Essex County Superior Court, accuses the company of engaging in unconscionable commercial practices and deceptive conduct, violating the Consumer Fraud Act and Hazardous Products Regulations by not informing New Jersey purchasers of the illegality of LCMs.
“Large capacity magazines are capable of inflicting the most lethal damage possible in the shortest period of time, and we have zero tolerance for their unlawful presence in our state,” said Attorney General Platkin. “To protect our communities from the devastation of mass shootings and other gun violence, we will continue to take action against companies that market and ship these dangerous weapons into New Jersey in violation of our laws.”
“Arms Unlimited’s alleged unlawful advertisement and sale of illegal large capacity magazines in New Jersey demonstrate a blatant disregard for our consumer protection laws,” said Cari Fais, Acting Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs. “By taking action against this business we are not only fulfilling our duty to provide transparency in our marketplace, we are also preventing dangerous, illegal devices from coming into our state.”
Details from the complaint highlight two specific undercover operations. The first, on July 25, 2022, involved the purchase of seven LCMs, which were shipped and delivered without any legal warnings, despite a New Jersey address being provided during the transaction. A subsequent operation on August 26, 2022, resulted in an order of 11 LCMs, including a 75-round magazine, with only a delayed email warning that hinted at the items' legality issues, which was ultimately ignored by the seller.
The investigation has further revealed that between June 2019 and December 2021, Arms Unlimited shipped an additional 13 LCMs to New Jersey consumers. The state is now seeking the maximum statutory civil penalties, disgorgement of profits from these sales, and a court order to enforce a shipping blockade of LCMs to New Jersey addresses and a mandatory warning on the company’s website.
This lawsuit follows a trend of measures by New Jersey officials to combat gun violence and enforce the state's gun control laws. In a similar vein, in January 2024, Indiana-based Element Armament, LLC agreed to halt sales of LCMs to New Jersey residents after a related undercover investigation by the Division.
The investigation into Arms Unlimited was spearheaded by Investigator Aziza Salikhova of the Division of Consumer Affairs’ Office of Consumer Protection, with Deputy Attorney General Sara J. Koste and Deputy Attorney General/Assistant Section Chief Monisha A. Kumar representing the State under the supervision of Section Chief Jesse J. Sierant of the Consumer Fraud Prosecution Section.
