SUNRISE, Fla. — In an exclusive interview with Local 10 News, the director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives revealed how the agency is fighting violent crime nationwide and in South Florida.

“We are the only Department of Justice agency whose primary mission is focused on violent crime,” said ATF Director Robert Cekada.

Cekada, who spent part of his law enforcement career in Plantation, said new technology is helping crack cases at a pace unlike before.

Earlier in the summer, ATF was the lead agency on Operation Hurricane in Palm Beach County.

Nearly 50 people were charged and 94 firearms were seized. One gun was allegedly linked to a murder, thanks to data from the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, or NIBIN.

As part of the process, technicians store unique microscopic markings - like fingerprints - left on spent bullet casings or cartridges confiscated or recovered from crime scenes.

Cekada said many South Florida agencies are part of the network.

“Once we put those images into the system, it compares against other images from crime scenes across this region and frankly across the country,” he said. “And we’re able to identify if that firearm was used in another violent crime.”

Cekada also said DNA technology has improved exponentially to link a firearm to an actual shooter.

“From 2017 to today, we’ve increased our ability to collect, preserve, and use DNA in a firm analysis from 2% to almost 70%. So DNA is a critical piece,” he said.

One ongoing ATF case underway is an investigation into an apparent machine-gun-making factory at a house in Miami Gardens.

According to a federal criminal complaint, the 20-year-old resident had “a kiln, Dremel tools, jigs designed to manufacture firearms” as well as devices to render some guns fully automatic.

A pistol made from a 3D printer was also reportedly found.

“Agents also discovered multiple workstations and a test-fire apparatus in the backyard,” the complaint read.

An undercover purchase allegedly led to the arrest.

It’s not illegal to 3-D print firearms, Cekada said. But it’s illegal to sell them without proper permitting.

“We want to make sure that we support legal manufacturing, legal gun ownership,” he said. “The only way to continue doing that is to hold violent criminals accountable and bring forth the best prosecutions that can ensure that their their sentences are so severe that it holds others in fear of facing the same charges that these guys are.”

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