Illegal gun seizures are becoming more commonplace in Nassau County.

Police in Nassau have seized 278 illegal guns, which is up from 195 from this time in 2021 and 183 from this time in 2020.

Nassau District Attorney Anne Donnelly says many of the guns that are taken are from out-of-state.

"These traffickers buy six guns a day, 10 guns in two days, and then they're bringing those guns here to Nassau County and they end up on the street," Donnelly says.

Two men from Georgia were arrested for trafficking 27 guns into Nassau County this week. At least 11 of those guns were recovered at crime scenes.

Founder and Board President of STRONG Youth Sergio Argueta says he has stopped counting the number of children hurt or killed in shootings across Nassau County because it has gotten so high.

"It's having real detrimental effects and unfortunately we're losing young people and we need to do better," Argueta says.

Argueta says he wants to see more police in areas impacted most by gun violence.

He says families will feel safer when there is a stronger relationship between officers and their communities.

"If you look at the deaths and where the deaths are occurring, it's most African-American and Latino children that are dying here on Long Island, but it's only a matter of time before this plague impacts others," Argueta says.

Law enforcement officials say they are increasing investigations into gun traffickers.

"I've spent more than half my career doing long-term investigations so I know if you take the time to work backwards, you'll get to that source, that supply," Donnelly says.

Among the illegal firearms that police have recovered, 42 have been ghost guns, which are very hard to trace.