Trafficking Ring Used Buses To Move Guns From South Carolina To New York, DA Says

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Police Commissioner James O'Neill and Manhattan DA Cy Vance announced criminal charges against an interstate gun trafficking ring on Wednesday.

The fourteen month investigation yielded 105 illegal guns. Vance said three people from South Carolina brought the guns to the city on buses to Chinatown -- along the so-called 'iron pipeline' -- before taking Uber or the subway to Harlem so the guns could be resold.

The three from South Carolina, and three Harlem residents have been indicted.

Shavar Stuckey, 31, and Levon Jackson, 30, have been accused of selling firearms and ammunition to an undercover NYPD detective. Devon Heatley, 32, Troy Allen, 32, Shakial Shephard, 22, and Liq'uel Robinson, 19, have all been charged with supplying firearms for illegal sale in New York City.

Vance said the punishment for gun trafficking isn't tough enough, and has to be changed.

"Right now as many of you know a person who sells ten illegal guns in New York, faces the same penalty as a person who sells 1,000, which is five years in prison, and that makes no sense," he said.

There is currently federal legislation which, if approved, would allow people from other states to legally carry their guns in New York.