WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department is launching gun trafficking strike forces in five cities in the U.S. It’s part of an effort to reduce spiking violent crime by addressing illegal trafficking and prosecuting offenses that help put guns in the hands of criminals.

Attorney General Merrick Garland is launching the strike forces on Thursday in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

The effort will include increased enforcement in so-called supply areas — cities and states where it is normally easier to obtain firearms that are later trafficked into cities with more restrictive gun laws.