A new Queensland police squad has been formed to track down the source of illegal firearms.
The five-member team will be part of the organised crime investigation unit, says Police Minister Neil Roberts.
The squad's prime target is determining the source of illegal firearms.
Mr Roberts said theft, importation and unlawful manufacture of guns were usually behind the source of illegal weapons.
"The squad will provide assistance and support to the eight Queensland Police Regions across the state," Mr Roberts said.
He said the positions were among the additional 150 police officers added to the force during the latest state budget.
Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson said the involvement of firearms in crime had been relatively stable in the past five years.
However, the number of firearms stolen in Queensland increased last year (2011).
It's the second major squad set up by the government in seven months to tackle gun crime.
A task force, with 18 investigators, was set up in June to combat violent crime on the Gold Coast following the shooting death of Detective Damian Leeding.
Det Leeding was responding to an armed robbery at a Gold Coast tavern when he was killed in late May.
In less than four months of task force Resolve being established, 14 arrests were made and 65 charges laid.
Liberal National Party (LNP) spokesman John-Paul Langbroek said the five-officer illegal firearms squad was too little too late.
"If the government had been properly backing police in the fight against illegal firearms, the concerning problem most likely wouldn't have escalated," Mr Langbroek said.
"The number of firearms stolen in this state has been on the increase for some time, but it's only now that the minister, who is in retirement mode, has finally decided that something needs to be done."
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