Thousands upon thousands of firearms are smuggled into Mexico from the U.S. each year. Gun-rights advocates doubt the accuracy of that claim. None of this is rocket science and all the slick lies and smoke and mirrors Barn Brain attempts to use only discredit anything else he panders to an unsuspecting right wing crowd eager to hear preaching from a Messiah to the choir of the uneducated. Yes, it was stressful but, at the same time, you knew what you had to do, and you did it and tried not to spook him, or whatever.". While they had been gun-running since 2006, a 2011 report by the inspector general criticized the agency for dedicating too many resources to busting straw purchasers and not enough at busting the cartel guys doing the buying. There were undercover agents in the store, sometimes. "We were being told, 'Oh, we're tracking their phones, we've got their license plates,' but it just kept happening. They know how to pull the wool over your eyes.". This made for an interesting customer service dilemma: How do you deal with a customer you know is: 1. According to prosecutors, the weapons are believed to belong to the Valencia gang, allies of the powerful Sinaloa drug cartel, and most of the 31 pistols found in the raid had gold or silver-plated grips or glittered with diamonds. The No. Earlier this month, theMexican government sued U.S. gun manufacturers in federal court, accusing them of fueling the violence. The Bushmaster .223 comes with a 30-round magazine, enabling the shooter to fire all 30 rounds, one for each pull of the trigger, in a minute or less. https://www.npr.org/2019/02/21/696561255/heckler-koch-fined-4-2-million-over-assault-rifle-sales-in-mexico, For no other reason than eric holder lead the investigation, I question everything we know about the Oklahoma City bombing, wow is that guy nuts. "Their goal is the bulk purchase of maximum firepower.". Under tight security, an anonymous New York federal court jury deliberated for three days before reaching a verdict in the drug trafficking case against ex-Public Security Secretary Genaro Garca Luna. Blood Gun Money: How America Arms Gangs and Cartels. The article, titled, "The U.S. Must Defeat Mexico's Drug Cartels", . Pass a domestic terrorism bill. In Mexico City, the military has a museum used to train officials, diplomats, and cadets about the war on drugs. The Bureau Of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), despite sounding like the most fun bureau in history, generally frowns on that kind of thing. "We've got agents and we've got trained criminal investigators from the host government in Mexico working investigations in Mexico," he said. Comparing it to Belgium and Czech and German Model 98s made the M70 look like a piece of trash. One thing struck him as particularly odd: " as I'm ringing up the transaction, he has one of those little drawstring backpacks. "The brand names are inconsequential what matters is that our laws aren't being enforced," said Andrew Arulanandam, director of public affairs for the National Rifle Association. In 2019, a record 68 such weapons were captured. Agents launched 534 investigations, seized $29 million and intercepted more than 1,200 guns, 4,700 magazines for semi-automatic and automatic weapons and 700,000 rounds of ammunition headed to. Why Mexico Is Right to Sue U.S. (Hollie McKay/Fox News) Moreover, a total of 28,741 recovered weapons . If not, they should be left alone. btw Mexican Cartels Are Arming Themselves to the Teeth With Powerful US Sniper Rifles High-powered .50-caliber rifles can be purchased legally in most of the U.S. and they keep showing up in the. October 19, 2022 The typical image of violent, heavily armed Mexican drug cartels tends to leave out one very important fact: Texas is the source for many of those guns. You have lost 4,020 Federal, State, and Municipal Police killed by the cartels. Dear Mexico: clean up your own house before telling us how to take care of ours.. The M82 guns, often fitted with a scope to act as snipers weapon, can fire 70 rounds per minute with a maximum range of 2,500 meters. "They didn't look like they were all connected One guy came in with his wife and kids. I mean all the enforcement is on the American side, very little exists on the Mexican side. While they had been gun-running since 2006, a 2011 report by the inspector general criticized the agency for dedicating too many resources to busting straw purchasers and not enough at busting the cartel guys doing the buying. Body armour and load-bearing equipment were used by many cartel members, including examples marked 'Marina' (Marines) or 'Polica Estatal' (State Police). In 2018, the homicide rate in Mexico hit a record high of 35,964, spiking 12 percent from the year before, according to the countrys National Institute of Statistics and Geography. An Italian-made 9mm pistol that is a best-seller among U.S. law enforcement agencies. We know theyre being illegally trafficked through California into Tijuana. By Ioan Grillo Bloomsbury: 400 pages, $28 If you buy books linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission from Bookshop.org . Officials in Mexicowhich has just one gun store and issues fewer than 50 gun permits ayearblame lax U.S. gun laws and the prevalence of gun shops in Americafor the bulk of weapons that allow cartels to flourish. I mean the cartels. I hear Chinese AK-74 types a. The cartel can trace its roots to the 1960s and '70s, when farming families entered the marijuana business. This, by the way, is the Barrett .50 caliber sniper rifle: It costs between $8,000 and $10,000, and it can literally put a bullet through most light tanks. The main character, Franklin is brilliant. Vasquez was born in Mexico but raised his family in Dallas, where he ran a moving company with his three adult sons. We had four or five come in that first guy came in five or six times, saying he was starting a collection. I tend to like Belgian, Swiss, German, Austrian, and Italian guns. It's a more powerful version of the Beretta popularized in James Bond novels and films. Gold-plated, diamond-encrusted weapons are shown to the press after they were confiscated when the army seized a ranch in Zapopan, Mexico, Sunday, May 2, 2010. Workers repair the facade of City Hall riddled with bullet holes in Villa Union, Mexico, in December 2019, after a gun battle between a heavily armed drug cartel assault group and security forces. But, who gave the arms to the Mexican cartels? In January, a Mexican judge charged. If American made guns are somehow responsible for all this killing by the evil people using them, why do you allow them to enter your country so easily? Among Mexican traffickers, it has earned itself the nickname "cuerno de chivo" or "goat horn" because of its distinctive banana-shaped magazine. If you want to keep guns out of the country, you do not appear to be making any real effort at it. NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with Ioan Grillo about the illegal flow of guns from the U.S. to Mexico. MEXICO CITY, Aug 6 The flow of high-caliber arms smuggled across the porousUS border has alarmedMexicanofficials and few weapons are as powerful as theUS-made M82 semi-automaticrifleincreasingly favored by the powerfuldrugcartels. National Police Chief Gen. Oscar Naranjo, holds a handgun seized to Colombian drug lord and former paramilitary leader Pedro Guerrero Castillo, known as "Cuchillo" (Knife), as he speaks during a press conference in Bogota, Colombia, on December 29, 2010. We sat down with "James," who worked at one of the gun stores the ATF ordered to sell firearms to drug cartels. Since joining the Tulsa World in 1999, I have been a three-time winner of Oklahoma's top award for investigative . The drug bust was a multi-agency effort involving the. "The majority of weapons we've seized since we started this operation have been in the corridor by Laredo, Texas from Laredo to El Paso," he said. Thousands evacuated in North Korea as heavy rain destroys Canadian teacher with size-Z prosthetic breasts placed on paid leave, What's next for Buster Murdaugh after dad's murder conviction, life sentence, Buster Murdaugh got 'very drunk' with dad 2 months after mom, brother murdered: source, Tom Sandoval, Raquel Leviss planned to tell Ariana Madix about affair, Prince Harry says hes not a victim: I never looked for sympathy, Allison Holker pens touching note to kids after Stephen tWitch Boss death, Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant allegedly flashes gun at a strip club, Kellyanne Conway and George Conway to divorce. We were placing special orders with Barrett because we couldn't keep up demand. A jury didn't believe him,convictingJose RafaelVasquez last month of attempting to smuggle goods out of the country. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Video shows gunman nonchalantly shoot homeless man execution-style in broad daylight, NJ man tried to board plane with handguns, AR-15, Taser, phony US Marshal badge, Parolee flaunted ghost gun on social media before weapons arrest: feds, Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed can keep gun at home: judge. GREENVILLE, S.C. . Once inside the U.S., Century Arms converts the rifles into military-style AK-47s capable of holding 30-round magazines. These agencies team withthe U.S. Bureau of Alcohol,Tobacco, Firearms and Explosivesto investigate the financing, transportation, and communications methods of smuggling networks. Called a "technical" by US military.) Cant have all those firearms in the USA, so lets pipeline them to Mexico. The Insider: Reggie Yates - Episode 2: Mexican Army: War Against Powerful and Violent Drug Cartels | Crime DocumentaryThe Insider: Reggie Yates - Episode 1: . Even the much worshiped pre-64 Winchester Model 70s were laughed at by the Europeans when they were first marketed even though the pre-war guns were not all that bad but workmanship after WWII went down rapidly at Winchester. Mexican Drug Cartels Agree: American-Made Guns Are the Best, Mexican drug and crime cartels prefer American-made guns. [nearly all the guns they bother to trace through the ATFwhich is basically those with US markings on them, duh], The underground trade of weapons to Mexico is worth hundreds of millions of dollars annuallywith American guns used to kill tens of thousands of Mexicans each year. What i believe is that If i want to sale you ballons ,i give you a good price nd you will greatly say my ballons are the best .. quoteTijuanas Director of Public Safety, Marco Antonio Sotomayor, says most of the guns flowing into his city come from north of the border.quote. The Democrats gave them the guns. A straw purchase is when someone buys a gun legally, but then hands it over illegally to another person. Gunmen battled on a beach near Puerto Morelos as tourists scrambled into a Hyatt . it would help a great deal if the U.S. had much tighter gun control and drug enforcement.. In May 2008, Mexican federal police raided a suspected trafficker house in Culiacan, a long-standing drug hotbed in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. Bullet holes are seen after a battle between the CJNG and Los Viagras cartels in Aguililla. M53 gun truck "LIL SURESHOT", outfitted with a forward fighting box . Modern optics, including AimPoint types and the distinctive Vism ECO 434 model were seen. See I figured they were big fans of German guns, going back to that huge illegal arms contract HK won for the cartels awhile back. Why wouldnt *that* be the most obvious area to apply enforcement pressure, instead of law abiding gun owners hundreds or thousands of miles away on the far side of the country? Yes Colt and Smith at one time made some very nice revolvers I will give them that but our rifles have been a joke for years. Build the wall, Mexico. Meanwhile, the Mexican government blames prominent U.S. gun manufacturers for the influx of cartel weaponsin its lawsuit against them in federal court in Boston. It works the same way when gun runners from the U.S. funnel second hand guns into Mexico. As far as American guns being the best. Miguel Diaz Calderon never made it out of Texas. ", The cartels were smart enough to pick buyers who wouldn't instantly set off alarm bells (aka clean-cut and often white). Those associatesarrange the purchase of several guns keeping them atstash houses or handing them off to transporters ingas station parking lots or other neutral locations, Lestrange said. Mexican military forces confiscated 71 armor-piercing 50-caliber gunsin the year ending January 2020, according to the Cabinet of the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Mexico. South Korean-made grenades have been. Within the next 45 minutes to an hour, they would come in. Cartels seek out military-grade weapons, he said: "The bigger the better.". Sinaloa Cartel A Mexico-based cartel famous largely because their long-term leader, El Chapo, was recently captured and imprisoned, the dangerous Sinaloa Cartel is also notorious for its extensive ties to the Mexican federal police and military. But, gradually, their suspicions began to pile up " then, we started getting more and more phone calls over the weeks. Given the record number of murders there last year almost 36,000 Mexicans could certainly use some self-defense tools. This is how the cartels get the vast majority of their arsenal. Mexican officials want to disarm America so the can finally claim Texas again and spread there filth into the lungs and veins of every Godless heathen that exists :). Its a very symbolic weapon in the narco world and for the narco esthetic, Grandmaison said. . What ARE you waiting on? They have special loopholes that allow them to form their own government or something like that. Thanks for contacting us. Ban assault weapons, high capacity magazines, body armor, silencers. Besides, the Belgian five-seven was supposed to be the ultimate status symbol], Tijuanas Director of Public Safety, Marco Antonio Sotomayor, says most of the guns flowing into his city come from north of the border. "We have adequate laws on the books. Mexican and U.S. authorities arrested Guzman in February; he had eluded authorities for decades. An arrogant armed American Gringo. Would they be interested in Hello Kitty grips or SpongeBob sights? American guns are ok, and many of the gun companies from the above countries have some US manufacturing. Really, these propagandists have got to get on the same page. I came here to say this. Explain again how the two assists are not in prison for supplying weapons to know criminals that used the weapons to kill US citizens. He didn't know much about it beside the fact that he wanted it.". Our source and his employer had just been drawn into the ATF's latest kooky adventure. Men claiming to speak for Mexico's most powerful drug cartel have released a video threatening to murder . Cartel forces seized a major regional capital city in broad daylight and defeated the national armed forces in open battle. A recent report reveals 60 percent of all confiscated weapons in Mexico are seized in the three states of Tamaulipas, Guerrero, and Jalisco, with 7 out of 10 weapons confiscated coming from the United States. Gun Companies The lawsuit over drug cartel violence could be part of a bigger change on guns. Reports suggest the Fast and Furious guns are tied to at least 69 killings. All Rights Reserved, Fed raises interest rates by 0.5%, the highest rise since 2000, Here are the 14 inductees for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. "It doesn't say anything about conduct of retailer, manufacturer or purchaser.". not mexican. In fact, according to Newsweek, cartel criminals view American guns as status symbols because, well, they work. AP/Eduardo Verdugo. Never mind that the majority of the cartels armament needs are met by leaks of official weaponry bought by the Mexican military. While we're busy patting ourselves on the back, you can pat too by voting here and here. I do like tacos though. Answer (1 of 16): There a ton of AK and Russian type military machine guns (I've seen a Russian equivalent 12.6 MM of the .50 caliber machine gun mounted on a truck. Formed by ex-military men who became armed enforcers for the Gulf Cartel, the Zetas split with their former patrons nearly three years ago and have since become one of Mexico's largest and most . Well, crap. The indigenous people of Mexico do arm themselves and fight the government. Roger Clemens makes surprise appearance at Astros' Spring Training, Hiker captures 'once-in-a-lifetime' photo of wildlife at Brazos Bend State Park, Houston Rockets poised to reap benefits from Eric Gordon trade, Texas congressman's breaks with GOP could lead to censure, Proposed Texas bill gives tax cuts to heterosexual families only, These bites won big at the Houston rodeo's foodie awards, Heres how you can watch 'Daisy Jones and the Six', Here's what Lina Hidalgo carb-loads before a long run, Houston police ticket man for feeding homeless people. But the weapons that Hernandez and his associates purchased ended up in the hands of Mexican drug cartel pistoleros, including the Bushmaster .223 that was later used to kill four police officers and three secretaries in Acapulco. Never heard of Obama? No secret, everyone knew it, too. The Barrett M82 was a serious problem for security forces because its armor-piercing bullets can knock out the motors of reconnaissance vehicles and endanger helicopters, said aMexicanofficial, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The gun should not be in the hands of civilians, the official said. I'm like, 'makes sense, he's a military kid.' Mayor: HISD has two optionsclose school or be taken over, Rare photos show 2 ocelots crossing South Texas road, Willie Nelson pays lovely tribute to another country legend. Century Arms Draco 7.62X39mm pistol: Another Romanian import. How U.S. El Mencho:Daughter of Mexican cartel boss sentenced to US prison for violation of Kingpin Act. The cartels then use their members or contract with associates to serve as"consolidators.". Did they buy ammo? He campaigned on "Hugs, Not Bullets.". View of gun butts made of gold, diamonds, emeralds and rubies to form the Mexican flag, in Culiacan, Sinaloa state on July 12, 2011. LMFAO. Then, basic questions: Did you feel they knew what they were buying? John Allen Muhammad, the D.C. sniper, and his youthful accomplice, Lee Boyd Malvo, used a Bushmaster .223 in nine of 10 sniper-style murders that terrorized the Washington area in 2002. Havent you heard anyone who comes to the US and gets a magic piece of paper is just as American and you and I. All the illegal purchases followed the same basic pattern, "They would always call, because they always wanted to know the exact amount ahead of time -- usually same day -- and make sure we had one in stock. I would take that way further. 3. Even got a few border agents killed with those weapons. Further investigation revealed that from Jan. 21, 2020 to July 11, 2022, Hernandez had purchased 231 handguns 9mm's, .380's and .22's which officials suspect he smuggled into Mexico. Its compactness makes it easy to conceal and some versions can hold a 30-round magazine, made of lightweight polymer. The weapons are sold to the cartels, often for three or four times the original price. Viewers see this group of teenagers create their own drug organization. Straw purchases for others are a violation of federal firearms law. Just look at the numbers for their drug war: Even though CDN is a rival of CJNG, its members accept payments to allowdrugs or guns to passthrough their territory. Once in the hands of cartel capos, however, the modern sporting rifle becomes very much an assault weapon. [see the above; Israel, China, Brazil, and many other big arms makers also chip in plenty. We might have chalked him up as just another Call Of Duty fan with impulse problems, but our source considered this a "red flag" for straw purchasing. Photo gallery: The top ten favorite guns of the Mexican drug cartels By Will Tucker on July 15, 2011 at 10:07 AM Texas on the Potomac reporter-researcher Will Tucker has compiled a photo. It was weird that, one, he came in with $10,000 cash. "The gun traffickers supplying Mexican drug organizations have become more selective and sophisticated in the weapons they acquire,"' said Kristen Rand, legislative director of the Washington-based Violence Policy Center, which extensively studied the issue. It all started in 2017, when Norma Llamas Rodriguez, 47,. That's the NRA position.". But in all honesty the article above does not tell the whole truth about illegal guns in Mexico or South America as drug gangs also get guns from international arms traffickers as well, especially factory made full auto weapons. By Jared Olson. The place is called La Leche and it continues to be one of Vallarta's tourist attractions. Diaz is one of 360 suspects arrested so far duringOperation Without a Trace, an ongoingcrackdown launched nearly two years ago by Homeland Security Investigationsand U.S. Customs and Border Protection to intercept illegal guns, saidJoseph Lestrange, division chief of Homeland Security's Transnational Organized Crime. It fires the same round as the AK-47 but is significantly shorter and easier to conceal. The reason the cartels had use for the Barrett is chilling: When you're as large as, say, Los Zetas, your "turf wars" involve the Mexican army. Bushmaster describes the AR-15 rifle, a civilian version of the U.S. military's standard-issue M-16, as intended "for law enforcement, security and private consumer use." There is strict gun control in Mexico despite the fact that bearing arms is constitutionally protected. If someone is breaking the law, go after them. The M82 can easily penetrate bulletproof vests, concrete walls and even tanks, says its manufacturer Barrett Firearms. He was badly wounded, while two bodyguards and an innocent bystander were killed. CDC reinstates mask recommendation for planes, trains, While U.S. hits new job quitting record, this man set his own record 84 years at the same company, The U.S. housing market is historically overvalued. Criminal organizations operating in Tamaulipas, Guerrero, and Jalisco were the most armed in the country, at least in the last year. Take a look at some of the flashiest weapons you'll ever see in the slideshow above. Since the federal law banning assault weapons expired in 2004, so-called "straw purchasers" have flooded U.S. gun stores in the Southwest, mostly in Texas and Arizona, sweeping up these and other weapons. Also, follow us on Facebook, and we'll follow you forever. Theyre American-made guns, Sotomayor told the Union-Tribune. Enough-time for real action. "It's hard to pinpoint exactly where we think a particular load (of guns) we seized was going,"Lestrange said. In the world of assault-type weaponry, power is measured by bullet caliber, velocity and range, as well rapidity of fire and ammunition magazine capacity. Criminal gangs that wish to project power often post photos on social media of their members toting M82 gunsand latest military gadgets, mimicking the style of special forces units. We can reduce the carnage if pols have the guts to act, Eric Holder (@EricHolder) August 5, 2019, Enough-time for real action. filed a lawsuit in theUS District Court in Massachusetts against the company and 10 other gun manufacturers. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers with an Anti-Terrorism Contraband Enforcement Team were screening traffic headed out of Laredo on the Lincoln-Juarez Bridge in October when they noticed a bundle under the carriage of Vasquez's SUV, secured with black ties. So Ive just one question for you. MLB legend makes surprise appearance at Astros' Spring Training, Hiker takes 'once-in-a-lifetime' photo at Brazos Bend State Park, Eric Gordon trade looking better and better for Houston Rockets, This Texas Hill Country town is the new, cooler Fredericksburg, This is what Houston looks like from space, Oops! build the wall you promised us! "These kids weren't sketchy looking dudes; they were all clean-cut, and some were Hispanic. Barretts were basically the only gun the cartels wanted, and while they are both ridiculous and rich, we get the strange feeling these weren't meant as toys " it started to get more and more severe. Pass national weapons carry reciprocity with jail time and heavy fines for any government agent who violates any citizens carry rights. Mexico is suing US gun makers, arguing that millions of American guns have illegally flowed across the border and fueled homicide rates. That figures to 17.6 percent of the 29,000 figure for guns seized in Mexico, as given by the country's attorney general. It's made it easier than ever to drive to any Texas gun shop and legally stockpile guns, whether or not the customers belong to a Mexican cartel. After his arrest, Diaz told agents with Homeland Security Investigations he was paid $5,000 upfront to smuggle "fierros," Spanish for "iron," which he understood to be guns,across the border. A row of glass cases are filled with seized weapons. You never cease to make an absolute fool of yourself. And he didn't want any ammo for it or any optics for it. A large-scale drug investigation in the Valley led to the seizure of millions of fentanyl pills, thousands of pounds of meth and more. Pre-order it now! Officers foundthree rifles, eight pistols, several magazines and more than 4,700 rounds, including a bag of bullets under Vasquez's seat and more ammunition wrapped in tape and plastic and tucked inside a hidden compartment between the exterior and interior paneling. *awkward shrug*, Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images News/Getty Images. DEA agents say the cartel was trying to instill fear in its enemies and woo new members. A 9mm browning pistol has the diamond encrusted initials of LMJ. Between 2009 and 2020, authorities seized 358 M82rifles, according to official figures cited by the Milenio newspaper. A jeweler shows a gun butt made of gold, diamonds, emeralds and rubies to form the Mexican flag, for a 1911 pistol in Culiacan, Sinaloa state on July 12, 2011. Scarface stars Pacino as the indelible gangster and charts his rise as a Cuban immigrant-turned-cocaine cartel captain . Last week, the Treasury sanctioned two Mexican businessmen and four Sinaloa Cartel members in connection with the illicit methamphetamine and fentanyl trade. So, the ATF was like, "We'll show you! Same questions. The government accuses gun makers and suppliers of knowingly flooding the market with firearms attractive to drug cartels. Being monitored by the ATF, so , Mexican Drug Cartels Say Americas Gunms The Best , , , , , , fck n A ,HiPoint told yah so. Subscribe to our YouTube channel, and check out another How To Solve The Country's Gun Problem, and watch other videos you won't see on the site! Its all too easy to legally ship a batch of guns to a South American Corrupt Government that just happens to have some come up missing and they get sold to drug cartels for big bucks. The Mexican government estimates that more than half a million guns are smuggled from the U.S. each year, arming Mexico's deadly cartel wars. Instead, the ATF lost 1,400 (or more!) Moodys says these cities may see prices drop up to 10%. I'm a projects reporter, examining key education topics and other local issues. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. A spokeswoman for Bushmaster did not respond to repeated calls for comment. Cartels:As Mexican drug groups cut in on avocado sales by extorting growers, armed locals fight back. Maybe if the border was more of an obstacle], Theres no way for people to buy guns like these in Mexico.

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