OPINION: Bloomberg has his sights set squarely on the illegal gun trade.

Byline: Fred LeBrun

Dec. 19--York City is suing another dozen out-of-state gun shops that private investigators working for the city caught in sting operations, stings that suggest these shops would sell to just about anyone.

The city's motivation is to strike back at the source of most illegal handguns used in robberies and murders in Gotham. Six dealers already have settled with the city as the result of an earlier round of suits. The settlement includes rigorous oversight of their books by a court-appointed administrator who will monitor how and with whom they do business.

Mayor Bloomberg's gutsy and very controversial offensive against …