San Jose City Council unanimously votes to ban ghost guns in the city

The number of ghost guns collected by San Jose Police has risen dramatically in the last five years.

The San Jose City Council voted unanimously to approve an ordinance that would ban so-called ghost guns in the city.

The ordinance prohibits the possession, manufacturing, sale, assembly, transfer, receiving and distribution of firearms, as well as related components, that are not imprinted with a federal or state-authorized serial number.

Privately manufactured firearms, also referred to as ghost guns, are untraceable firearms that are often assembled by unlicensed individuals, the ordinance explains. They're typically sold through unregulated sellers, without background checks, waiting periods, sales records retention, age restrictions or other restrictions.

San Jose follows other California cities that have banned ghost guns, including San Francisco, San Diego and Los Angeles.