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[Hind]   In Somaliland,

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the growing demand        
           for essential oils

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has complicated the ancient    
        trade for frankincense.

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Harvesters accuse         
          international buyers

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of exploitation and lies.

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Why did it come to you?      
            Who are you?

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We're journalists.

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I mean, come on, VICE.

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[Hind]   What's really        
            happening here?

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I'm just gonna ask you       
              to leave.

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[Keegan]   The government has no   
      idea that you made this gun.

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[Keegan]   Ghost guns,        
       firearms built from parts

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you can buy online        
        without serial numbers.

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I've seen them used        
            in awful crimes.

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You can match the bullet     
              to the gun.

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But how do you match the     
     person who pulled the trigger?

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That potentially makes       
           it impossible.

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[Keegan] Impossible.

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[Dimitri]             
     Pandora's box has been opened.

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You can't put them back      
            into the box.

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dramatic music

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singing in native language

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[Hind] We're in the autonomous   
        region of Somaliland,

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which claimed independence     
        from Somalia in 1991

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but so far             
       hasn't been recognized

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by the United Nations.

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One of the biggest         
           industries here

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is frankincense          
          from these trees.

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But while CEOs in America     
            reap the rewards

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of the multibillion-dollar    
        essential oils industry,

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harvesters here accuse       
      some international buyers

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of exploitation and lies.

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The essential oils industry    
               is nestled

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in a growing $4.5 trillion    
             wellness craze

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that runs from healing      
       crystals to yoga retreats,

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clean eating,           
       and natural beauty trends.

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[speaker]             
       What's in this bottle?

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I say love.

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[Hind]               
     This is doTERRA International,

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one of the biggest purchasers   
            of frankincense

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from Somaliland and a major    
       player in essential oils.

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Hey, guys, I wanted        
           to come on here

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and talk about the king      
       of oils, frankincense.

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This brand doTERRA--

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A must have.

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[Hind]               
            Founded in 2008,

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doTERRA is a multilevel      
           marketing company

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that uses             
      so-called Wellness Advocates

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to sell their essential oils,

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and frankincense is one of    
      their most popular products,

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retailing at $100         
       per 15-milliliter bottle.

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So this is your tree.

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speaking native language

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Boswellia?

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[Hind]   But harvesters       
          like Abdullahi Awad

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who tap these Boswellia      
        carterii trees for resin

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can see as little         
         as 0.5% of that value.

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speaking native language

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I can actually see the resin    
        coming out of it now,

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the little white droplets.

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Somaliland claimed        
     its independence from Somalia

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after an all-out civil war    
           in the late 1980s.

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And it's more peaceful      
             than Somalia,

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which has been plagued      
     by terror attacks and violence

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by Al-Shabaab and ISIS.

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Situated in the northern     
      Sanaag region of Somaliland,

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Abdullahi's trees         
         are the primary source

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of income             
         for communities here.

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speaking native language

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[Hind]   Harvesters have always   
            sold their resin

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through local buyers,

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but now with corporations     
            driving demand,

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an industry of middlemen     
         suppliers has emerged,

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creating a blind spot       
             for companies

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as to how business gets done   
             on the ground.

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In Somaliland,          
           doTERRA's supplier

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is a man named Barkhad Hassan,

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who runs the international

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export company Asli Maydi.

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[Hind] How were you introduced   
            to Asli Maydi

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and to Barkhad Hassan?

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speaking native language

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And how much more was it

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to what you were          
        previously charging?

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speaking native language

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Did you agree to be paid back   
              in food?

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speaking native language

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[Hind] Multiple harvesting    
       communities we spoke with

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describe a pattern        
            of being tricked

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and not fairly paid        
             by Asli Maydi,

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but doTERRA claims that      
      harvesters they source from

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are paid fairly and receive    
      both food and cash payments.

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We had to give them

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that seed of hope.

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And it's been amazing       
           to see the change

96
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that has happened         
          in just a few years.

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[Hind]   One of doTERRA's      
      contributions to Somaliland

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is the recent opening of     
      a state-of-the-art hospital.

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But for a company built      
             on principles

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of sustainable harvesting,

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helping poor communities,     
      and an ethical supply chain,

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our reporting found        
          a different reality.

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[both]               
        speaking native language

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Wow. It smells so good.

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East of Somaliland on the tip   
         of the Horn of Africa

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is Puntland,           
      a state in Northern Somalia.

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It's another major        
     frankincense producing region

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and hub for sorting        
              warehouses.

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Can I sit with you?

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[Hind] What they're doing     
   is they're flipping the resin.

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And when they do that,

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it separates all these little   
    bits that you then throw out.

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And these women          
       are doing this all day.

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50 kilos in one day?        
                Wow.

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While doTERRA boasts       
      its Frankincense is sourced

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from Somaliland,

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praising its stability      
             in the region,

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NGO and government sources    
                told us

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that the majority         
         of the resin exported

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actually comes from Puntland,

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where anyone doing business,

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including Asli Maydi,

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inevitably deals with       
          the presence of ISIS

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and Al-Shabaab.

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One estimate suggests ISIS    
      collects as much as $72,000

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per month in extortion      
         from local businesses.

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We tracked down          
        one frankincense trader

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whose family has done business 
      in Puntland for generations.

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Can you explain          
          the relationship

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between businessmen        
        and ISIS in Puntland?

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speaking native language

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Every single businessman      
           has to do this?

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speaking native language

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[Hind] Without question?

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What if you say,

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"No, I don't want         
         to pay you any tax

137
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on my profit and you refuse"?

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What would happen?

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speaking native language

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Has that ever happened before?

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speaking native language

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[Hind]               
       In addition to allegations

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of exploiting harvesters     
             in Somaliland

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and extortion by ISIS       
              in Puntland,

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there's also been         
         an allegation of rape

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made by a former colleague    
           of Barkhad Hassan,

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owner of Asli Maydi        
         and doTERRA supplier.

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Back in Somaliland,

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we asked him for         
      an interview and he agreed.

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Let's get rolling, mate.      
       I'm in a bit of a rush.

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You're in a rush?

152
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I've got things to do, darling.

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-Yeah. Of course.         
             -You know?

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-Is the mic working?        
             -I'm good.

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Can we just get on with it,    
                mate?

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Come on.

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If you could introduce yourself 
        and what job you do.

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My name is             
       Barkhad Jibril Hassan,

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proprietor of Asli Maydi.

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Who are you selling to       
          internationally?

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And how much do you sell?

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I don't want to divulge      
       because there's a NDA-

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there's a NDA there.

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So it's...

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00:07:47,175 --> 00:07:49,469
it's...they're big buyers,     
       let's put it that way.

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The essential oils business in   
   the U.S. is absolutely massive,

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00:07:54,182 --> 00:07:57,143
and the focus very often      
         with the businesses

168
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in the United States        
          is how it's taken

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and bought from          
     a sustainable supply chain.

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And is that something       
     that you are made aware of

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when you're working        
     with international buyers?

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Yes, I think we were ethical.

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We try our best, you know,

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sometimes it doesn't work,     
         sometimes it works.

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When doesn't it work?

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When you have           
    unintelligent people around,

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you know, and not understanding 
          how things work.

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There were individuals       
     that we spoke to that said

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that when they first        
      did business with you...

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-Yeah.               
      -That Alsi Maydi came in,

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paid deposits,           
        gaining their trust,

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but then didn't follow through   
        on the full payments

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and instead paid using food    
           and not money.

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I mean, the Somaliland       
     has a legal justice system.

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Why did they not go to it     
            and arrest me

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and take me to court        
       or something like that?

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Can I ask you a question?     
            Who are you?

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-Are you auditing me?       
         -We're journalists.

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-So we're journalists.       
            -Journalists.

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Well, you know, you know,

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the journalists, you know,     
       fake news is a time...

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you know, this generation now.

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I mean, come on, VICE.

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[laughs]              
               Right.

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I'm not putting you down.     
   I'm not. It's just my opinion.

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You're absolutely allowed     
            your opinion.

197
00:09:05,211 --> 00:09:06,963
-I have...right.          
          -So you're saying

198
00:09:07,004 --> 00:09:10,633
that you've never         
        paid anyone with food

199
00:09:10,675 --> 00:09:12,468
instead of cash?

200
00:09:12,510 --> 00:09:15,346
Um, let me explain something    
    to you, how the trade works.

201
00:09:15,388 --> 00:09:18,224
These people are...        
           how can I say?

202
00:09:18,266 --> 00:09:19,934
Um...

203
00:09:19,976 --> 00:09:21,269
They complain a lot.

204
00:09:21,310 --> 00:09:22,728
-You been to Erigavo?       
           -[Hind] Mm-hmm.

205
00:09:22,770 --> 00:09:25,106
You've seen the multimillion    
       dollar hospital there?

206
00:09:25,147 --> 00:09:26,857
We were having problems      
             in Erigavo

207
00:09:26,899 --> 00:09:29,652
because I think you had been    
      contacting some people--

208
00:09:29,694 --> 00:09:31,362
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

209
00:09:31,404 --> 00:09:33,614
Do not-do not accuse me      
    of something I have not done.

210
00:09:33,656 --> 00:09:35,074
-Let's get back to the question. 
              -No, no.

211
00:09:35,116 --> 00:09:36,284
You accuse me of something.    
        Let me defend myself.

212
00:09:36,325 --> 00:09:37,785
[Hind] We'll get into it.     
        I haven't even said--

213
00:09:37,827 --> 00:09:39,370
speaking native language

214
00:09:39,412 --> 00:09:40,955
[Hind] I haven't even said     
           what we allege.

215
00:09:40,997 --> 00:09:44,500
speaking native language

216
00:09:44,542 --> 00:09:47,295
Whoa, whoa, whoa.

217
00:09:47,336 --> 00:09:50,715
What's going on?          
          What's going on?

218
00:09:50,756 --> 00:09:51,924
I have no idea.

219
00:09:51,966 --> 00:09:54,885
speaking native language

220
00:09:56,971 --> 00:09:59,265
[Hind] No, no, no.         
   There's a few questions I have.

221
00:09:59,307 --> 00:10:01,934
I have a few question.       
   Why has this just happened now?

222
00:10:01,976 --> 00:10:05,104
This is all a bit suspicious.

223
00:10:05,146 --> 00:10:07,273
Less than 15 minutes       
          into our interview,

224
00:10:07,315 --> 00:10:09,108
a government employee       
            with close ties

225
00:10:09,150 --> 00:10:11,777
to Hassan             
       conveniently interrupted,

226
00:10:11,819 --> 00:10:14,572
falsely claiming we didn't    
        have permission to film.

227
00:10:14,614 --> 00:10:17,617
I'm pretty convinced that     
         this was all set up

228
00:10:17,658 --> 00:10:20,745
to show that he was willing    
           to talk to us.

229
00:10:20,786 --> 00:10:24,790
But this just shows        
         how far he will go

230
00:10:24,832 --> 00:10:27,460
to try and stop journalists    
           from digging in

231
00:10:27,501 --> 00:10:30,963
to what's really happening here.

232
00:10:31,005 --> 00:10:33,132
With our reporting        
        cut short in Somaliland,

233
00:10:33,174 --> 00:10:34,800
we traveled to Vermont

234
00:10:34,842 --> 00:10:36,802
to speak to the former      
      colleague of Barkhad Hassan

235
00:10:36,844 --> 00:10:38,596
who accused him of rape.

236
00:10:38,638 --> 00:10:41,641
tense music

237
00:10:41,682 --> 00:10:43,684
-Hello.              
         -Hi. Good morning.

238
00:10:43,726 --> 00:10:46,937
[Hind]   Dr. Anjanette DeCarlo    
     is a sustainability consultant

239
00:10:46,979 --> 00:10:49,190
whose research has been funded 
           by major cosmetic

240
00:10:49,231 --> 00:10:52,610
and essential oil companies,   
           including doTERRA.

241
00:10:52,652 --> 00:10:54,320
What is a sustainability      
             consultant?

242
00:10:54,362 --> 00:10:57,448
I'm trained to work at source

243
00:10:57,490 --> 00:11:00,534
where things come from       
         specifically to see

244
00:11:00,576 --> 00:11:03,245
if they're being harvested     
             or gathered

245
00:11:03,287 --> 00:11:05,164
in a way that's sustainable    
            and ethical.

246
00:11:05,206 --> 00:11:07,958
The trees are not dying      
   because of this amount of bark,

247
00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:10,419
that it's from           
         the overharvesting.

248
00:11:10,461 --> 00:11:12,963
[Hind]               
       In 2016, Dr. DeCarlo says

249
00:11:13,005 --> 00:11:14,965
Hassan became the gatekeeper   
             of her access

250
00:11:15,007 --> 00:11:17,510
to frankincense communities    
             in Somaliland.

251
00:11:17,551 --> 00:11:19,845
And admits she was initially   
            charmed by him,

252
00:11:19,887 --> 00:11:21,847
even attracted to him.

253
00:11:21,889 --> 00:11:23,974
She says their relationship    
        was emotionally charged

254
00:11:24,016 --> 00:11:26,477
and intense,           
          but never acted on.

255
00:11:26,519 --> 00:11:28,771
And as she discovered his     
           business practices

256
00:11:28,813 --> 00:11:31,315
were negatively impacting     
           local harvesters,

257
00:11:31,357 --> 00:11:33,109
she says he became obsessed    
            with controlling

258
00:11:33,150 --> 00:11:35,027
the narrative           
          around his business.

259
00:11:35,069 --> 00:11:37,905
At what point did you realize

260
00:11:37,947 --> 00:11:39,865
that what he was doing

261
00:11:39,907 --> 00:11:41,492
was a big part           
           of the problem?

262
00:11:41,534 --> 00:11:44,870
I realized...midstream,

263
00:11:44,912 --> 00:11:47,873
that we had a really        
           serious problem

264
00:11:47,915 --> 00:11:50,167
with unsustainable practices.

265
00:11:50,209 --> 00:11:53,504
And there was a lot of chaos    
           surrounding it.

266
00:11:53,546 --> 00:11:55,506
[Hind]               
      On one of her trips in 2018,

267
00:11:55,548 --> 00:11:57,383
DeCarlo says Hassan's driver

268
00:11:57,425 --> 00:12:00,386
asked her to bring        
              $15,000 cash

269
00:12:00,428 --> 00:12:02,680
to this meeting          
       with government officials.

270
00:12:02,722 --> 00:12:04,724
But she refused.

271
00:12:04,765 --> 00:12:08,352
There's no evidence doTERRA    
     was involved in this request.

272
00:12:08,394 --> 00:12:11,063
[Anjanette]   That evening,     
         he called and he says,

273
00:12:11,105 --> 00:12:13,190
"You know, I'd like        
       to have you guys for tea."

274
00:12:13,232 --> 00:12:15,568
We'd never been invited      
      to a house of his before.

275
00:12:15,609 --> 00:12:18,320
We're hanging out, we're      
     having tea, we're talking.

276
00:12:18,362 --> 00:12:19,905
And he turns to me, he goes,

277
00:12:19,947 --> 00:12:21,824
"Hey, I want to show you some   
     very unique frankincense."

278
00:12:21,866 --> 00:12:22,908
I wanna show you something.

279
00:12:22,950 --> 00:12:25,828
And I go through the door,

280
00:12:25,870 --> 00:12:28,581
and he pushes me          
       through a second door.

281
00:12:28,622 --> 00:12:33,335
And he locks the door and...

282
00:12:33,377 --> 00:12:36,046
starts grabbing me.

283
00:12:36,088 --> 00:12:38,382
And I'm saying.          
                "No."

284
00:12:38,424 --> 00:12:40,009
I'm saying,            
        "What are you doing?

285
00:12:40,050 --> 00:12:42,762
What the fuck is happening?"

286
00:12:42,803 --> 00:12:47,308
And...he pushed me pretty hard.

287
00:12:47,349 --> 00:12:50,144
And I fell on my knees.

288
00:12:50,186 --> 00:12:52,646
And he sexually assaulted me.

289
00:12:52,688 --> 00:12:57,109
You say assaulted, um, raped?

290
00:12:57,151 --> 00:12:58,444
What went through your mind    
             afterwards?

291
00:12:58,486 --> 00:13:00,112
Do you remember your thoughts?

292
00:13:00,154 --> 00:13:02,114
I wanted to just          
          get out of there

293
00:13:02,156 --> 00:13:04,241
was the most            
       pressing thing for me,

294
00:13:04,283 --> 00:13:06,994
that I was fixated         
     on getting out of Somalia.

295
00:13:07,036 --> 00:13:08,746
It was a gray area.

296
00:13:08,788 --> 00:13:10,623
Somaliland's not          
        a recognized country.

297
00:13:10,664 --> 00:13:13,167
I didn't report it to       
    a police officer and embassy.

298
00:13:13,209 --> 00:13:15,294
I'm an independent         
             contractor.

299
00:13:15,336 --> 00:13:17,797
So I really didn't think      
   anything could be done for me.

300
00:13:17,838 --> 00:13:20,466
Did you tell doTERRA?

301
00:13:20,508 --> 00:13:22,092
When I got back          
        to the United States,

302
00:13:22,134 --> 00:13:24,637
I reported it to a company     
      that I was working with.

303
00:13:24,678 --> 00:13:26,263
And how did they respond?

304
00:13:26,305 --> 00:13:29,767
I don't know what         
         their response was,

305
00:13:29,809 --> 00:13:32,436
but shortly            
         after reporting it,

306
00:13:32,478 --> 00:13:35,940
I started receiving        
 harassing texts from Mr. Hassan.

307
00:13:35,981 --> 00:13:40,820
So he knew...that the company   
         he was working for

308
00:13:40,861 --> 00:13:43,447
knew about what had happened.

309
00:13:43,489 --> 00:13:47,493
Somebody told him         
            that I had...

310
00:13:47,535 --> 00:13:50,120
reported that           
        he had assaulted me.

311
00:13:50,162 --> 00:13:53,624
And I still, to this day,     
   do not know who told him that.

312
00:13:55,709 --> 00:13:57,837
[Hind]   DeCarlo insists       
       that without transparency

313
00:13:57,878 --> 00:14:00,881
in the supply chain,       
         abuse can take place.

314
00:14:00,923 --> 00:14:02,383
And as the demand         
            for frankincense

315
00:14:02,424 --> 00:14:03,717
continues to grow,

316
00:14:03,759 --> 00:14:05,594
it's the essential oil      
                industry

317
00:14:05,635 --> 00:14:07,680
that needs to take        
            responsibility.

318
00:14:09,139 --> 00:14:11,308
Okay. Hey, guys.

319
00:14:11,350 --> 00:14:12,726
We're at doTERRA's headquarters 
              in Utah,

320
00:14:12,768 --> 00:14:14,770
and we've come a long way     
             to get here

321
00:14:14,812 --> 00:14:17,773
because we've called and we've   
        emailed continuously

322
00:14:17,815 --> 00:14:19,775
to try and get          
        an on-camera interview.

323
00:14:19,817 --> 00:14:21,777
And so far, they've just     
          refused to meet us.

324
00:14:21,819 --> 00:14:22,695
So my name is Hind Hassan.

325
00:14:22,736 --> 00:14:23,988
[receptionist]           
                 Okay.

326
00:14:24,029 --> 00:14:26,448
-I'm a journalist at VICE News. 
               -Okay.

327
00:14:26,490 --> 00:14:28,868
And I'm wondering if there's    
   somebody that I can speak to...

328
00:14:28,909 --> 00:14:30,619
-Yes.               
       -About some allegations

329
00:14:30,661 --> 00:14:31,871
that have been made against

330
00:14:31,912 --> 00:14:34,206
doTERRA's supplier         
           in Somaliland.

331
00:14:34,248 --> 00:14:35,457
If you guys just want to take   
           a seat here...

332
00:14:35,499 --> 00:14:37,793
-Thank you.            
         - Or in our lobby.

333
00:14:37,835 --> 00:14:40,546
[security guard] I've been told 
        to ask you to leave.

334
00:14:40,588 --> 00:14:42,381
Oh, but I thought that       
     we were gonna get somebody

335
00:14:42,423 --> 00:14:44,049
from PR to speak to us.

336
00:14:44,091 --> 00:14:46,218
Like I said, I'm just gonna    
          ask you to leave.

337
00:14:46,260 --> 00:14:48,387
I don't know any of        
      the background behind it.

338
00:14:48,429 --> 00:14:49,513
They don't want you here.

339
00:14:49,555 --> 00:14:50,723
Okay.

340
00:14:50,764 --> 00:14:52,057
I guess there's nothing      
             we can do.

341
00:14:52,099 --> 00:14:53,642
So we come in,           
         security has come,

342
00:14:53,684 --> 00:14:54,977
and they've told us        
       that we have to leave.

343
00:14:55,019 --> 00:14:57,354
So that's what           
           we're gonna do.

344
00:14:57,396 --> 00:14:59,231
After visiting          
           doTERRA's offices,

345
00:14:59,273 --> 00:15:01,692
we followed up with a detailed 
          list of allegations,

346
00:15:01,734 --> 00:15:04,236
and they provided a statement   
          that says, in part,

347
00:15:04,278 --> 00:15:05,696
"DoTERRA works closely

348
00:15:05,738 --> 00:15:07,531
"with our independent       
           sourcing partners

349
00:15:07,573 --> 00:15:09,992
"to create ethical        
     and sustainable supply chains

350
00:15:10,034 --> 00:15:12,244
anchored in our sourcing     
          guiding principles,"

351
00:15:12,286 --> 00:15:14,079
and continues,

352
00:15:14,121 --> 00:15:17,124
"We take any allegation of    
      improper conduct seriously,

353
00:15:17,166 --> 00:15:19,418
"and, as a result, are      
      commencing an investigation,

354
00:15:19,460 --> 00:15:21,587
which will include        
           outside counsel."

355
00:15:21,629 --> 00:15:23,255
We also contacted Hassan

356
00:15:23,297 --> 00:15:26,008
who denied the allegations    
         against him and said,

357
00:15:26,050 --> 00:15:27,843
"The Frankincense trade      
             in Somaliland

358
00:15:27,885 --> 00:15:30,888
is more sustainable than it    
      has ever been in the past."

359
00:15:30,930 --> 00:15:33,182
Separately,            
          he vehemently denies

360
00:15:33,223 --> 00:15:36,101
that he raped Anjanette.

361
00:15:36,143 --> 00:15:37,770
Back in Somaliland,

362
00:15:37,811 --> 00:15:40,940
Abdullahi continues        
     to tap trees for frankincense,

363
00:15:40,981 --> 00:15:44,902
but he says he's no longer    
         selling to Asli Maydi.

364
00:15:44,944 --> 00:15:47,029
There are people         
           all over the world

365
00:15:47,071 --> 00:15:48,906
who buy essential oils

366
00:15:48,948 --> 00:15:51,450
made from the frankincense    
            that you create.

367
00:15:51,492 --> 00:15:55,079
Can you explain          
            just what impact

368
00:15:55,120 --> 00:15:57,623
this has had on you        
         and your community?

369
00:15:57,665 --> 00:16:00,542
speaking native language

370
00:16:16,976 --> 00:16:19,895
dramatic music

371
00:16:32,366 --> 00:16:33,867
[Keegan]              
      So we're here with agents

372
00:16:33,909 --> 00:16:36,787
from the California        
         Bureau of Firearms.

373
00:16:36,828 --> 00:16:39,331
They're looking for people     
         who are prohibited

374
00:16:39,373 --> 00:16:41,083
from owning firearms        
             by the law.

375
00:16:41,125 --> 00:16:42,668
They have a database        
           that tells them

376
00:16:42,710 --> 00:16:44,502
when someone's had         
       a mental health crisis,

377
00:16:44,545 --> 00:16:46,422
domestic violence.

378
00:16:46,462 --> 00:16:49,299
There's about 25,000 people

379
00:16:49,341 --> 00:16:51,677
in the Armed and Prohibited    
           Persons System.

380
00:16:51,719 --> 00:16:54,680
25,000 people in California    
 are prohibited from owning guns?

381
00:16:54,722 --> 00:16:57,016
-Yeah.               
     -So the idea is to identify

382
00:16:57,057 --> 00:17:00,352
the people who could be using   
      those guns for violence,

383
00:17:00,394 --> 00:17:01,729
who are not supposed        
            to have them,

384
00:17:01,770 --> 00:17:03,939
and then stop the crimes      
         before they happen.

385
00:17:03,981 --> 00:17:06,191
Ideally, yeah,           
     whether they are building--

386
00:17:13,741 --> 00:17:15,868
[Blake]              
       10-4. Thanks. Proceed.

387
00:17:17,745 --> 00:17:19,455
[Keegan]   These officers      
       are looking for a suspect

388
00:17:19,496 --> 00:17:21,081
who had a mental health crisis

389
00:17:21,123 --> 00:17:22,875
and lost his right        
             to own a gun.

390
00:17:22,916 --> 00:17:25,627
The man was supposed to      
        hand over his firearms.

391
00:17:25,669 --> 00:17:27,921
Now the police have come     
          to take away weapons

392
00:17:27,963 --> 00:17:30,424
that he registered        
            with the state.

393
00:17:30,466 --> 00:17:32,551
In a lot of ways          
      this strikes me as, like,

394
00:17:32,593 --> 00:17:35,304
dystopian for           
   the Second Amendment community.

395
00:17:35,345 --> 00:17:36,638
It's like they're literally    
        coming for your guns.

396
00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:37,931
[Blake]              
     Right, but we're not coming

397
00:17:37,973 --> 00:17:40,350
for 99.9%             
      of the population's guns.

398
00:17:40,392 --> 00:17:41,518
We're coming for the people

399
00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:45,147
that lost the right        
            to have guns.

400
00:17:45,189 --> 00:17:47,357
[Keegan]   California's program   
         for confiscating guns

401
00:17:47,399 --> 00:17:50,694
is supposed to keep weapons    
      away from dangerous people.

402
00:17:50,736 --> 00:17:53,906
But a new type of firearm has   
      created easy access to guns

403
00:17:53,947 --> 00:17:57,326
that are unregistered       
            and untraceable.

404
00:17:58,452 --> 00:17:59,745
Ghost guns,

405
00:17:59,787 --> 00:18:01,205
firearms without         
            serial numbers,

406
00:18:01,246 --> 00:18:03,499
built from parts sold       
        by hundreds of websites

407
00:18:03,540 --> 00:18:07,044
or made with a 3D printer.

408
00:18:07,086 --> 00:18:09,213
They're turning up        
        in deadly mass shootings

409
00:18:09,254 --> 00:18:12,132
and at crime scenes        
          across the country.

410
00:18:12,174 --> 00:18:13,801
Since 2016, the number of

411
00:18:13,842 --> 00:18:15,010
ghost guns linked to crimes

412
00:18:15,052 --> 00:18:16,053
and recovered by police

413
00:18:16,095 --> 00:18:17,012
has increased

414
00:18:17,054 --> 00:18:19,640
over 1,000% nationwide.

415
00:18:19,681 --> 00:18:22,017
President Biden          
        is trying to fight back.

416
00:18:22,059 --> 00:18:24,394
In early April,          
         he announced new rules

417
00:18:24,436 --> 00:18:27,022
to outlaw ghost gun kits     
     with all the parts and tools.

418
00:18:27,064 --> 00:18:29,441
If you buy a couch         
        you have to assemble,

419
00:18:29,483 --> 00:18:32,361
it's still a couch.

420
00:18:32,402 --> 00:18:35,447
If you order a package,      
      like this one over here,

421
00:18:35,489 --> 00:18:36,949
that includes           
         the parts you need,

422
00:18:36,990 --> 00:18:39,034
the directions for assembling   
       a functioning firearm,

423
00:18:39,076 --> 00:18:40,077
you bought a gun.

424
00:18:40,119 --> 00:18:42,538
This is the gun.

425
00:18:42,579 --> 00:18:45,332
[Keegan]   But Biden's        
         new rules are limited.

426
00:18:45,374 --> 00:18:48,544
There's no real way to stop    
       someone from going online

427
00:18:48,585 --> 00:18:50,587
and buying            
        all the parts separately

428
00:18:50,629 --> 00:18:52,422
and building an          
            untraceable gun

429
00:18:52,464 --> 00:18:54,883
completely off          
        the government's radar.

430
00:18:54,925 --> 00:18:58,720
tense music

431
00:18:58,762 --> 00:19:00,556
[Byrd]               
       It's very simple, bro.

432
00:19:00,597 --> 00:19:02,307
It don't take a fuckin' genius   
        to do this shit, bro.

433
00:19:02,349 --> 00:19:04,268
I ain't even graduate       
          from high school.

434
00:19:04,309 --> 00:19:07,437
[Keegan]   Byrd sells illegal    
     guns to gangs in Los Angeles.

435
00:19:07,479 --> 00:19:08,897
In the past few years,

436
00:19:08,939 --> 00:19:11,233
ghost guns have become      
           his main business.

437
00:19:11,275 --> 00:19:12,484
[Byrd]               
    Once you drill out the holes,

438
00:19:12,526 --> 00:19:14,194
there's some little tabs      
        that come right here.

439
00:19:14,236 --> 00:19:16,530
You take this shit,        
       and you snap them off.

440
00:19:16,572 --> 00:19:18,407
Boom, boom.

441
00:19:18,448 --> 00:19:21,118
Get this all nice and smooth.

442
00:19:21,160 --> 00:19:23,245
And once you're done, man,

443
00:19:23,287 --> 00:19:25,747
put all your little parts     
             back in...

444
00:19:31,378 --> 00:19:33,755
You got a fucking gun.

445
00:19:33,797 --> 00:19:36,091
When did you hear         
          about ghost guns?

446
00:19:36,133 --> 00:19:37,718
[Byrd]               
     Maybe like five years ago.

447
00:19:37,759 --> 00:19:38,969
When I found out about it,

448
00:19:39,011 --> 00:19:40,429
I was like,            
     "Nah, this can't be real."

449
00:19:40,470 --> 00:19:41,638
They was like, "Look, bro,     
       this all you got to do.

450
00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:42,973
"Go to this website,        
          boom, boom, boom,

451
00:19:43,015 --> 00:19:44,558
and you're gonna get        
       your shit in the mail."

452
00:19:44,600 --> 00:19:46,518
This is shocking          
         that this is legal.

453
00:19:46,560 --> 00:19:47,853
[Byrd]               
        It's hella shocking.

454
00:19:47,895 --> 00:19:49,730
The mark up is great.       
        You what I'm saying?

455
00:19:49,771 --> 00:19:51,607
Like, I'm selling the gun     
      that I'm getting for 300,

456
00:19:51,648 --> 00:19:53,650
400 bucks on the internet     
           for like 1,500.

457
00:19:53,692 --> 00:19:55,152
So I'm making a killing,

458
00:19:55,194 --> 00:19:57,487
and I'm just building it      
    within 45 minutes to a hour.

459
00:19:57,529 --> 00:19:59,781
The government wants you      
    to put a serial number on it.

460
00:19:59,823 --> 00:20:01,283
They want you to register it.

461
00:20:01,325 --> 00:20:02,826
But nobody's doing that.

462
00:20:02,868 --> 00:20:04,119
Nobody gives a shit about that.

463
00:20:04,161 --> 00:20:06,872
You know, like,          
     this is the way right now.

464
00:20:07,414 --> 00:20:08,957
[Keegan]   When Byrd sells a gun   
             on the street,

465
00:20:08,999 --> 00:20:10,500
it's against the law.

466
00:20:10,542 --> 00:20:13,212
But ghost guns          
     can still be perfectly legal.

467
00:20:13,253 --> 00:20:16,798
As of today, only 11 states    
         and Washington, D.C.,

468
00:20:16,840 --> 00:20:19,885
have laws restricting       
         unserialized firearms.

469
00:20:19,927 --> 00:20:22,471
California's laws are among    
     the toughest in the nation,

470
00:20:22,512 --> 00:20:24,389
but Attorney General Rob Bonta

471
00:20:24,431 --> 00:20:27,226
says the state is still      
     being flooded with ghost guns.

472
00:20:27,267 --> 00:20:28,560
[Rob]   Just over the course     
             of two years,

473
00:20:28,602 --> 00:20:31,230
we saw the increase        
          in guns seized--

474
00:20:31,271 --> 00:20:35,275
ghost guns seized in California 
        from 1,600 to 12,000.

475
00:20:35,317 --> 00:20:38,195
And now about 30% of the guns   
        seized in California

476
00:20:38,237 --> 00:20:40,572
are unserialized ghost guns.

477
00:20:40,614 --> 00:20:43,242
They are off the books,      
     not in any of our systems,

478
00:20:43,283 --> 00:20:45,202
not following our         
      regulatory safety regime.

479
00:20:45,244 --> 00:20:47,079
And we're seeing them used     
          in awful crimes,

480
00:20:47,120 --> 00:20:49,081
murders of people,         
       mass murder sometimes.

481
00:20:49,122 --> 00:20:51,416
So, uh, i-it's a problem.

482
00:20:51,458 --> 00:20:53,418
And so we know that        
          the existing rule

483
00:20:53,460 --> 00:20:54,628
needs to be changed,

484
00:20:54,670 --> 00:20:56,797
and that's what          
         we're focusing on.

485
00:20:56,838 --> 00:20:58,423
[Keegan]   Bonta and         
         California's governor

486
00:20:58,465 --> 00:21:00,259
are pushing            
          controversial bills

487
00:21:00,300 --> 00:21:02,427
that mimic            
     an anti-abortion law in Texas.

488
00:21:02,469 --> 00:21:05,764
One proposal would enable     
     lawsuits against almost anyone

489
00:21:05,806 --> 00:21:08,058
who makes or sells ghost guns.

490
00:21:08,100 --> 00:21:11,103
tense music

491
00:21:12,980 --> 00:21:15,357
Dimitri Karras recently opened 
          a store in Arizona,

492
00:21:15,399 --> 00:21:17,276
where ghost gun parts       
            are unregulated.

493
00:21:17,317 --> 00:21:18,610
But he's also been        
             doing business

494
00:21:18,652 --> 00:21:20,112
for years in California,

495
00:21:20,153 --> 00:21:22,197
adhering to the state's      
         strict firearms laws.

496
00:21:22,239 --> 00:21:23,949
So if I wanted to build      
         a ghost gun, right,

497
00:21:23,991 --> 00:21:25,409
like if I came in and said,

498
00:21:25,450 --> 00:21:26,952
"Okay, I want to get it...     
       start from scratch..."

499
00:21:26,994 --> 00:21:28,412
[Dimitri] Okay.

500
00:21:28,453 --> 00:21:30,789
You guys have the parts      
        to do all that here?

501
00:21:30,831 --> 00:21:33,625
I have the parts that you could 
         use to assemble it,

502
00:21:33,667 --> 00:21:35,794
you're going to have to go out   
   and do all that work to cut it,

503
00:21:35,836 --> 00:21:37,296
and I'm not gonna help you     
             with that.

504
00:21:37,337 --> 00:21:40,132
But honestly, it's a really    
     cool process to go through.

505
00:21:40,173 --> 00:21:42,634
We build computers,        
   we build cars, we build houses,

506
00:21:42,676 --> 00:21:45,304
and this is an extension      
         of that mentality.

507
00:21:45,345 --> 00:21:48,473
[Keegan] How does the government 
   regulate making a gun at home?

508
00:21:48,515 --> 00:21:50,976
And when does a hunk of metal   
            become a gun?

509
00:21:51,018 --> 00:21:52,311
The way it's worked        
        up until this point,

510
00:21:52,352 --> 00:21:53,979
-I can show you if you like.    
              -Mm-hmm.

511
00:21:54,021 --> 00:21:55,314
[Dimitri]             
          You'd have this,

512
00:21:55,355 --> 00:21:58,191
which is a receiver        
            for an AR-15.

513
00:21:58,233 --> 00:21:59,484
Your magazine would go there.

514
00:21:59,526 --> 00:22:01,194
Your trigger would come out    
            right there.

515
00:22:01,236 --> 00:22:03,697
Um, but this is          
        a completed firearm.

516
00:22:03,739 --> 00:22:05,949
And to buy this, you'd go     
    through the normal processes.

517
00:22:05,991 --> 00:22:09,202
And then this over here      
         is a hunk of metal

518
00:22:09,244 --> 00:22:11,496
that is not a firearm yet.

519
00:22:11,538 --> 00:22:13,498
[Keegan] This has some holes    
           drilled on it,

520
00:22:13,540 --> 00:22:15,167
and this one doesn't.

521
00:22:15,208 --> 00:22:18,003
Under the law, this is a gun,   
          and this is not.

522
00:22:18,045 --> 00:22:20,172
[Dimitri] Under the current    
       interpretations, yeah.

523
00:22:20,213 --> 00:22:22,799
However, the ATF, the way     
    that their rulings have gone,

524
00:22:22,841 --> 00:22:25,635
I could draw a dot here      
           and a dot there

525
00:22:25,677 --> 00:22:27,679
and just me drawing that dot    
            on this thing

526
00:22:27,721 --> 00:22:30,640
technically, they could      
    determine it to be a firearm.

527
00:22:30,682 --> 00:22:33,352
[Keegan]   In early April,      
        the ATF issued new rules

528
00:22:33,393 --> 00:22:36,813
trying to clarify when gun    
     parts legally become firearms.

529
00:22:36,855 --> 00:22:39,358
an unfinished AR-15 part     
             like this   one

530
00:22:39,399 --> 00:22:41,360
isn't legally           
          considered a firearm

531
00:22:41,401 --> 00:22:43,612
until it has markings       
           for drilling holes

532
00:22:43,653 --> 00:22:46,907
or sold with parts or tools to 
     complete the assembly process.

533
00:22:47,741 --> 00:22:49,701
Anyone              
        with basic gun knowledge

534
00:22:49,743 --> 00:22:52,037
can avoid a background check   
            or registration

535
00:22:52,079 --> 00:22:53,830
and acquire            
          all the parts needed

536
00:22:53,872 --> 00:22:55,415
to make              
         an untraceable weapon.

537
00:22:57,125 --> 00:22:59,378
The Pandora's box         
          has been opened.

538
00:22:59,419 --> 00:23:01,588
And no matter how hard you want 
   to ban them or get rid of them,

539
00:23:01,630 --> 00:23:03,423
you can't put them back      
            into the box.

540
00:23:03,465 --> 00:23:05,300
There's more guns in this     
   country than there are people.

541
00:23:05,342 --> 00:23:08,178
And so any attempt         
    from the federal government,

542
00:23:08,220 --> 00:23:09,679
it's not gonna work        
          in this country.

543
00:23:09,721 --> 00:23:11,431
Are you gonna have police     
   officers sitting down at Lowe's

544
00:23:11,473 --> 00:23:13,517
to make sure            
       that I don't buy pipes?

545
00:23:13,558 --> 00:23:14,768
Because I can go down       
             to Lowe's,

546
00:23:14,810 --> 00:23:17,521
and for about $10,         
        I can make a shotgun.

547
00:23:17,562 --> 00:23:19,106
[Keegan]              
      The term "ghost gun" is new,

548
00:23:19,147 --> 00:23:21,566
but homemade improvised      
     weapons without serial numbers

549
00:23:21,608 --> 00:23:23,652
have been around         
            for a long time.

550
00:23:23,693 --> 00:23:25,237
On the other side         
            of the country,

551
00:23:25,278 --> 00:23:27,072
the NYPD has been pulling     
              these types

552
00:23:27,114 --> 00:23:30,575
of non-factory weapons      
      off the street for decades.

553
00:23:30,617 --> 00:23:32,327
So many guns.

554
00:23:32,369 --> 00:23:33,870
This was a homemade firearm

555
00:23:33,912 --> 00:23:36,081
-in a flashlight.         
   -[Keegan] This is a flashlight?

556
00:23:36,123 --> 00:23:37,999
[Emanuel] Flashlight that was   
      converted into a firearm.

557
00:23:38,041 --> 00:23:40,502
-Wow.               
          -You have this...

558
00:23:40,544 --> 00:23:42,754
Two pen guns, for example,

559
00:23:42,796 --> 00:23:47,050
and then simply releasing,     
         fire a projectile,

560
00:23:47,092 --> 00:23:48,427
-gunshot.             
        -That is terrifying.

561
00:23:48,468 --> 00:23:50,595
Even without serial numbers,

562
00:23:50,637 --> 00:23:53,098
the NYPD can still connect    
       bullets from a crime scene

563
00:23:53,140 --> 00:23:55,308
to a specific gun         
     by running a ballistics trace.

564
00:23:55,350 --> 00:23:57,269
So this is a ghost gun.

565
00:23:57,310 --> 00:24:01,106
We're going to generate      
       a test fired projectile

566
00:24:01,148 --> 00:24:04,317
and a test fire to start      
     shell casings in the tank.

567
00:24:04,359 --> 00:24:08,029
[gunfire]

568
00:24:08,071 --> 00:24:09,656
[Keegan]   The police collect    
             shell casings

569
00:24:09,698 --> 00:24:10,907
and bullets from the tank,

570
00:24:10,949 --> 00:24:12,909
then study them          
          under a microscope.

571
00:24:12,951 --> 00:24:14,786
The aim is to match guns     
              to suspects

572
00:24:14,828 --> 00:24:16,121
and crime scene evidence.

573
00:24:16,163 --> 00:24:18,999
But a ghost gun          
         disrupts the process.

574
00:24:19,040 --> 00:24:20,709
The right is the bullet      
         that we just fired

575
00:24:20,750 --> 00:24:22,210
in the tank            
         from the ghost gun.

576
00:24:22,252 --> 00:24:24,004
She's looking for similarities

577
00:24:24,045 --> 00:24:26,047
and differences between the two.

578
00:24:26,089 --> 00:24:28,216
[Keegan] Every firearm       
        that shoots a bullet

579
00:24:28,258 --> 00:24:29,926
is gonna leave           
          distinct markings

580
00:24:29,968 --> 00:24:31,470
like the ones we're looking at   
       under this microscope?

581
00:24:31,511 --> 00:24:32,888
[Emanuel] Correct.

582
00:24:32,929 --> 00:24:34,431
[Keegan] So the ghost gun     
           hasn't changed

583
00:24:34,473 --> 00:24:35,474
this part of your job.

584
00:24:35,515 --> 00:24:37,267
What makes it harder is, like,

585
00:24:37,309 --> 00:24:39,144
tracing back where         
      that ghost gun came from.

586
00:24:39,186 --> 00:24:40,228
That's the ghost part.

587
00:24:40,270 --> 00:24:41,438
It potentially makes it

588
00:24:41,480 --> 00:24:44,149
-impossible.            
        -[Keegan] Impossible.

589
00:24:44,191 --> 00:24:46,818
VICE News contacted        
       over 50 police departments

590
00:24:46,860 --> 00:24:48,320
across the U.S.,

591
00:24:48,361 --> 00:24:50,238
major cities that kept track   
             of ghost guns

592
00:24:50,280 --> 00:24:52,991
shared data showing a surge    
        in unserialized weapons

593
00:24:53,033 --> 00:24:54,951
recovered in recent years.

594
00:24:54,993 --> 00:24:57,996
And new technology        
      is already making ghost guns

595
00:24:58,038 --> 00:25:00,874
even more difficult        
              to contain.

596
00:25:00,916 --> 00:25:02,375
In the last decade,

597
00:25:02,417 --> 00:25:04,002
3D printed weapons        
              have evolved

598
00:25:04,044 --> 00:25:07,506
from flimsy plastic        
           to include AK-47s,

599
00:25:07,547 --> 00:25:10,008
AR-15s,              
         even rocket launchers.

600
00:25:12,010 --> 00:25:14,971
dramatic music

601
00:25:15,013 --> 00:25:17,474
[Ethan]   I have a short little   
              stubby grip

602
00:25:17,516 --> 00:25:19,267
that I just finished       
               designing.

603
00:25:19,309 --> 00:25:20,685
So let's print one of those.

604
00:25:20,727 --> 00:25:23,063
And we'll do it          
            in carbon fiber.

605
00:25:23,104 --> 00:25:24,648
[Keegan]   Hobbyists like      
            Ethan Middleton,

606
00:25:24,689 --> 00:25:26,316
create new gun designs,

607
00:25:26,358 --> 00:25:29,027
and share the files online    
        for anyone to download.

608
00:25:29,069 --> 00:25:31,321
Wow, this looks          
          super futuristic.

609
00:25:31,363 --> 00:25:33,073
The future is now, old man.

610
00:25:33,114 --> 00:25:35,534
-[laughs]             
          -It sure is. Wow.

611
00:25:36,076 --> 00:25:38,119
[Keegan] The government has    
   no idea that you made this gun

612
00:25:38,161 --> 00:25:39,371
and have it            
       in your home right now?

613
00:25:39,412 --> 00:25:41,289
I try to keep everything      
          as legal and open

614
00:25:41,331 --> 00:25:42,624
and public as possible

615
00:25:42,666 --> 00:25:44,626
because I love           
     the sharing of information.

616
00:25:44,668 --> 00:25:46,002
But if I wanted to print it

617
00:25:46,044 --> 00:25:48,004
and didn't want anyone       
        to know about it, no.

618
00:25:48,046 --> 00:25:49,381
Printer's not connected      
          to the internet,

619
00:25:49,422 --> 00:25:52,384
nothing else, um,         
        would really indicate

620
00:25:52,425 --> 00:25:54,302
to anyone else           
         that it's here, so.

621
00:25:54,344 --> 00:25:55,804
[Keegan] What would you do     
         if, like, tomorrow

622
00:25:55,845 --> 00:25:58,348
there's a mass shooting      
     and the gunman is wielding,

623
00:25:58,390 --> 00:26:01,393
you know, one of the frames    
         that you designed?

624
00:26:01,434 --> 00:26:02,811
Would that change         
            what you do?

625
00:26:02,852 --> 00:26:04,604
[chuckles]

626
00:26:04,646 --> 00:26:06,690
I'd feel pretty devastated     
        if any of my firearms

627
00:26:06,731 --> 00:26:07,566
showed up at a crime scene.

628
00:26:07,607 --> 00:26:09,985
Um...

629
00:26:10,026 --> 00:26:13,780
Honestly, it would...       
         that'd really suck.

630
00:26:13,822 --> 00:26:17,075
But bad people are just      
        gonna do bad things.

631
00:26:19,035 --> 00:26:20,370
[Keegan]              
        Ethan took us to a farm

632
00:26:20,412 --> 00:26:22,497
where he showed us        
          his 3D printed gun,

633
00:26:22,539 --> 00:26:26,334
a 9mm MAC-11           
      he calls the Mac and Cheese.

634
00:26:26,376 --> 00:26:28,336
So all my designs         
           are food based.

635
00:26:28,378 --> 00:26:31,673
And this one uses         
      a MAC-11 upper receiver.

636
00:26:31,715 --> 00:26:33,383
I'm in Wisconsin,         
        we're a cheese state,

637
00:26:33,425 --> 00:26:35,885
so MAC, cheese,          
           Mac and Cheese.

638
00:26:35,927 --> 00:26:37,137
[chuckles]

639
00:26:37,178 --> 00:26:39,180
-This is metal from a factory.   
              -Correct.

640
00:26:39,222 --> 00:26:41,474
This is something you       
        3D printed yourself.

641
00:26:41,516 --> 00:26:42,392
-Yeah.               
       -This is the ghost gun,

642
00:26:42,434 --> 00:26:43,268
-the blue part.          
              -Correct.

643
00:26:43,310 --> 00:26:45,061
So this is the regulated part

644
00:26:45,103 --> 00:26:47,397
that people want serial numbers 
        on is the blue part.

645
00:26:47,439 --> 00:26:49,107
-Mm-hmm.              
     -That's the lower receiver.

646
00:26:49,149 --> 00:26:50,442
Just insert in there,

647
00:26:50,483 --> 00:26:53,278
slap it on the ass,        
      and then just charge it.

648
00:26:53,320 --> 00:26:54,529
You should be ready to go.

649
00:26:54,571 --> 00:26:55,905
Here we are.

650
00:26:55,947 --> 00:26:58,408
Okay.

651
00:26:58,450 --> 00:27:00,452
[gunfire]

652
00:27:00,493 --> 00:27:03,288
[rapid gunfire]

653
00:27:05,165 --> 00:27:06,124
-Wow.               
             -Hell yeah.

654
00:27:06,166 --> 00:27:07,584
That's the Mac and Cheese.

655
00:27:07,626 --> 00:27:09,669
[Keegan]   I mean,          
       that shoots super smooth.

656
00:27:09,711 --> 00:27:11,379
I mean, I've shot a lot      
            of factory guns,

657
00:27:11,421 --> 00:27:14,716
and I mean, I could tell      
          'cause it's blue,

658
00:27:14,758 --> 00:27:16,384
but other than that, it'd be    
    hard to tell the difference.

659
00:27:16,426 --> 00:27:18,178
Yeah.

660
00:27:18,219 --> 00:27:19,638
[Keegan]              
            3D printed guns

661
00:27:19,679 --> 00:27:21,806
have started turning up      
          all over the world.

662
00:27:21,848 --> 00:27:24,184
In Europe,            
       where gun laws are strict,

663
00:27:24,225 --> 00:27:25,602
and in the hands of rebels

664
00:27:25,644 --> 00:27:28,855
fighting a military        
        dictatorship in Myanmar.

665
00:27:28,897 --> 00:27:30,273
The mission for Ethan       
               and others

666
00:27:30,315 --> 00:27:32,859
is to enable anyone        
            to build a gun.

667
00:27:32,901 --> 00:27:36,404
They call sharing the digital   
         gun files the Signal.

668
00:27:36,446 --> 00:27:38,365
[Ethan]   Information can be     
          dangerous and scary,

669
00:27:38,406 --> 00:27:41,409
but any bit of information    
         needs to be out there

670
00:27:41,451 --> 00:27:43,411
for everyone.

671
00:27:43,453 --> 00:27:45,705
How's the little guy       
             gonna stand up

672
00:27:45,747 --> 00:27:48,041
to the big government       
      with their overreaching boot

673
00:27:48,083 --> 00:27:50,168
just coming down         
            to squish them?

674
00:27:50,210 --> 00:27:52,420
[Keegan] If the government     
          decides tomorrow,

675
00:27:52,462 --> 00:27:54,923
we want to outlaw         
        3D printed gun files,

676
00:27:54,964 --> 00:27:57,342
is there any way          
        for them to stop it?

677
00:27:57,384 --> 00:27:59,344
No.                
       Short of trying to ban

678
00:27:59,386 --> 00:28:02,263
the literal zeros and ones     
       that make up the file,

679
00:28:02,305 --> 00:28:06,351
there's not really a way      
         to stop the Signal

680
00:28:06,393 --> 00:28:08,937
once it actually          
           hits the waves.

681
00:28:08,978 --> 00:28:11,981
[Keegan]   Ghost guns are now    
        available to the masses.

682
00:28:12,023 --> 00:28:14,150
For the government and those   
         who want gun control,

683
00:28:14,192 --> 00:28:15,652
it's a growing threat.

684
00:28:15,694 --> 00:28:18,571
But for anyone who wants     
        an untraceable firearm,

685
00:28:18,613 --> 00:28:20,740
they're now            
         the weapon of choice.

686
00:28:20,782 --> 00:28:22,450
[Byrd] 3D printing is always    
        gonna be the future.

687
00:28:22,492 --> 00:28:24,244
They can't stop that.

688
00:28:24,285 --> 00:28:27,288
So if you know how to build    
       a gun by hand, you could.

689
00:28:27,330 --> 00:28:29,624
I don't think there's ever    
           gonna be an issue.

690
00:28:29,666 --> 00:28:31,459
There's nothing          
      they can do to stop this.

691
00:28:31,501 --> 00:28:34,421
Nothing they can do        
        to stop this, really.

692
00:28:36,297 --> 00:28:39,175
dramatic music