Welcome to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Houston Field Division website. The Houston Division includes all of Southern Texas from Del Rio, San Antonio, Waco and Austin over to Beaumont and down to Corpus Christi, McAllen and Laredo. Our dedicated employees are special agents, investigators, auditors, technicians and support staff.

ATF Houston is committed to reducing violent crime in our neighborhoods. We accomplish this by targeting specific criminal organizations, gun traffickers and violent offenders utilizing ATF’s Frontline Strategy. Explosives and arson enforcement is an integral part of ATF’s overall violent crime reduction strategy. ATF Houston special agents combat arson and explosives-related crimes by conducting independent investigations and by working in partnership with local and state fire investigators and police bomb squads.

ATF also has the duty of regulating the firearms and explosives industries. Our industry operations investigators work to ensure that all firearms and explosives are stored, handled and sold in a safe manner according to law. Since Houston is the number one origination point of firearms recovered in crimes in Mexico, firearms trafficking is an investigative priority. Through our excellent relationship with firearms dealers and our intelligence-based investigations, firearms traffickers and straw purchasers are targeted. Our Industry operations investigators also educate our firearms dealers to recognize straw purchasers in firearms seminars given around the State.

We encourage all residents to get involved and assist us in our goal of reducing crime in our communities.

Fred Milanowski