More than 50 hard-to-trace ghost guns were recovered as part of a broader case against alleged dealers of illegal firearms, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced Thursday.

The arrests of three men on more than 400 weapons-related charges also led to the recovery of 57 firearms, including 51 ghost guns, weapons without serial numbers or other markers that can be used in identifying them.

Law enforcement officials also seized more than 800 rounds of ammunition.

James' announcement comes after months in which state law enforcement officials have sought to crack down on illegal weapons flowing into New York from other states. Already illegal weapons are used in the vast majority of crimes, law enforcement officials have said.

“I will not allow our streets to be flooded with ghost guns, assault rifles or other weapons of war,” James said. “Giving criminals easy access to illegal and untraceable guns is a threat to all New Yorkers and a danger that my office will not tolerate. High-capacity ammunition magazines and rapid-fire modification devices can easily turn firearms into mass-murder machines. I thank our partners in law enforcement for their support and coordination as we work to protect the safety and well-being of all New Yorkers.”

Earlier this year, Gov. Kathy Hochul highlighted a multi-state program meant to halt the trafficking of weapons into New York amid a rise in shootings across the state. Many of these firearms are purchased in various pieces and assembled later before use.

Hochul's office has touted the recovery of thousands of guns through this process by state law enforcement officials. The effort came as Hochul and statewide Democrats were seeking re-election and as crime and public safety concerns a dominant issue in the campaign.

But Hochul has also indicated she will continue to press for more efforts against illegal guns with proposals in her State of the State address due to be unveiled next month.

"I'm going to be going back into the next session of the Legislature with a whole approach dealing with public safety and the interdiction of illegal guns," she said earlier this week. "It's about getting the illegal guns to stop the flow of them."

In October, Hochul and James announced plans to also step up the enforcement of an adjacent issue in shootings: an expansion of the state's "red flag" law which is meant to keep guns away from people deemed to be a danger to themselves or others.

James' office received a $4.6 million increase in funding to help the State Police implement extreme risk protection orders, a key provision of the law.

This summer, state lawmakers approved measures meant to address concealed carry laws in New York after the Supreme Court determined a century-old law in the state was unconstitutional. The changes to how concealed carry licenses are approved and where guns can be carried in public is now subject to multiple court challenges.