He pulls a paper bag out, takes out 10 grand in cash rubber-banded in thousand dollar increments. Straw purchases for others are a violation of federal firearms law. The government accuses gun makers and suppliers of knowingly flooding the market with firearms attractive to drug cartels. I would be one of the richest people on the planet. *awkward shrug*, Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images News/Getty Images. Blood Gun Money: How America Arms Gangs and Cartels. Did they buy ammo? 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(PS, you may want to arm your Civilians so they can fight the cartel) 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. The Bureau Of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), despite sounding like the most fun bureau in history, generally frowns on that kind of thing. How Texas's gun laws allow Mexican cartels to arm themselves to the GREENVILLE, S.C. . Or perhaps Newsweek went out of print before the Fast and Furious story broke. But as the government attempts to stem the flow of drugs across the US border - it is these military-grade guns which are being smuggled in the other direction. An admirer of Colombian crime boss Pablo Escobar places flowers on his . Enough-time for real action. 12 of 29 13 of 29 Guns and munitions confiscated from alleged Mexican drug dealers . These Are The Twitter Accounts Of The Sons Of Mexico's Drug Cartel Leaders We know theyre being illegally trafficked through California into Tijuana.. Into Mexico.. Our own government is gifting military weapons to Mexico & those arms are being used by the cartels. Since joining the Tulsa World in 1999, I have been a three-time winner of Oklahoma's top award for investigative . Soldiers stand guard around a presentation of arms captured in an operation against the Gulf cartel in Mexico City, Friday, Nov. 7, 2008. Reports suggest the Fast and Furious guns are tied to at least 69 killings. Im having a memory lapsewhich guns are made in Mexico, exactly? Fast & Furious: Obama's First Scandal | National Review Gunmen who left behind at least one M82riflewere seen spraying the armor-plated car ofpolicechief Omar Garcia Harfuch with high-velocity rounds. An Italian-made 9mm pistol that is a best-seller among U.S. law enforcement agencies. El Mencho:Daughter of Mexican cartel boss sentenced to US prison for violation of Kingpin Act. Given the record number of murders there last year almost 36,000 Mexicans could certainly use some self-defense tools. In May 2008, Mexican federal police raided a suspected trafficker house in Culiacan, a long-standing drug hotbed in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. 24 of 29 25 of 29 A handgun covered with gold and money sized to alleged financial agent of the drug "Cartel . Here's what he told us. There is strict gun control in Mexico despite the fact that bearing arms is constitutionally protected. Im curious, did you even read your own article before posting it? You never cease to make an absolute fool of yourself. While this is isn't based on one true story, it follows a teenager at the forefront of the crack cocaine epidemic in Los Angeles. 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. Pre-order it now! In Mexico City, the military has a museum used to train officials, diplomats, and cadets about the war on drugs. I would like to buy Holder and Obama for what they are worth, to sell them for what they THINK theyre worth. 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. So, the ATF was like, "We'll show you! Then, he says, 'Oh, I've been interested in the Barrett.' SHARE AK-47 favorite gun of How in the hell can any society withstand such incredible violence and not crumble? Maybe, he'll see this and send a thank you card. Army officials said they confiscated 288 assault rifles, 500,000 rounds of ammunition, numerous grenades and several .50-caliber rifles at a house in the city of Reynosa, across the border from McAllen, Texas. Do it.' 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? 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. Only if your definition of a thing is existing in quiet obsolescence. Christ, John; do a little digging please, since this article is easily refuted/debunked, American and Mexican law enforcement officials say nearly all of the gun violence in Mexico is fueled by the illicit import and sale of U.S. firearms. A Draco, purchased in Joshua, Texas, near Forth Worth, was used in the attack and shooting death of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Jaime Zapata in Mexico in February. Sincerely, American guns are ok, and many of the gun companies from the above countries have some US manufacturing. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. Based in northwest Mexico's Sinaloa state, the Sinaloa Cartel is widely considered to be the most powerful drug trafficking organization in the Western Hemisphere, according to Insight Crime. Why Mexico Is Right to Sue U.S. If Diaz had sneaked his arsenal past U.S. Customs officials, he would have had to pay a "piso," or fee, to members of the Crtel del Noreste,or CDN, which dominates this area of northern Mexico, Jonessaid. Diazis part of what cartel members call the Hormiga, Spanish for ant, referring to an ant trail of reliably flowing weapons transported from the southern U.S. to Mexico, said JaesonJones, who tracks cartel trends and previouslymanaged the daily operations of the Texas Rangers'Border Security Operations Center. of violence in this conflict: intra-cartel disputes, inter-cartel rivalries, and the overall war that Mexican President Felipe Caldern's government is waging on the cartels. How does the cartel feel about branded accessories? Follow reporter Beth Warrenon Twitter: @BethWarrenCJ. Pass a domestic terrorism bill.. Cartel forces seized a major regional capital city in broad daylight and defeated the national armed forces in open battle. Mexican drug cartels armed with sniper rifles that can take down 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. When the Coen Brothers needed someone to show The Dude how to really roll, they could turn to only one man: Hall of Fame professional bowler Barry Asher. Most of Mexicos gun violence (and violence in general) has primarily come from the cartel wars through the illicit gun trade and insatiable drug thurst facilitated by the United States. btw They weren't tracking them well enough; everyone made it over the border. Together the men funneled nearly 340 firearms valued at almost $370,000 to Mexican drug cartels. Ban assault weapons, high capacity magazines, body armor, silencers. The majority of U.S. states allow citizens to buy .50-caliber weapons, something Mexico reserves for its military. The gun should not be in the hands of civilians, the official said. As Mexican drug groups cut in on avocado sales by extorting growers, armed locals fight back, Daughter of Mexican cartel boss sentenced to US prison for violation of Kingpin Act. And yes the California shooter did have a vetted gun but the point being made is that without uniform vetting laws funneling second hand guns into Mexico is a piece of cake. For thecartels, the M82 has also become a status symbol. 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. Its just to easy to buy up second hand guns and ship them to Mexico. Mexico has very strict restrictions on weapon. 2. Worried that weapons purchases for drug cartels might fuel more calls for tougher U.S. gun control laws, gun-rights advocates insist that existing laws are sufficient to control such trafficking. Then, they were let go, because what they had done hadn't been illegal -- they hadn't seen a hand off. These agencies team withthe U.S. Bureau of Alcohol,Tobacco, Firearms and Explosivesto investigate the financing, transportation, and communications methods of smuggling networks. I mean all the enforcement is on the American side, very little exists on the Mexican side. Another solid reason for the U.S. to pass universal back ground checks. Working together across 18 different countries over the course of 10 months, the consortium investigated the global networks of Mexican drug cartels and their political connections around the world. American guns help arm Mexican drug cartels, including CJNG - USA Today How about we lock up a guy who sold the cartels weapons used to kill people including Brian Terry. "We have adequate laws on the books. The M82 can easily penetrate bulletproof vests, concrete walls and even tanks, says its manufacturer Barrett Firearms. Mexican cartels exploiting border chaos to smuggle fentanyl into US By Isabel Vincent June 10, 2022 3:53pm Updated Mexican drug cartels are taking advantage of the chaotic influx of migrants. 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." A Drug Cartel Just Defeated The Mexican Military In Battle ", Once the purchase was completed and the "customer" left the store, " the money was counted with the cameras watching it. A straw purchase is when someone buys a gun legally, but then hands it over illegally to another person. ", "The ATF said, 'Don't refuse 'em, just let 'em go. Tijuanas Director of Public Safety, Marco Antonio Sotomayor, says most of the guns flowing into his city come from north of the border. MEXICAN drug cartels are using high-powered sniper rifles which fire bullets the size of cigars to take down police helicopters. COPYRIGHT 2021, THETRUTHABOUTGUNS.COM. Till then, fuck you! The problem isnt cartels sneaking (civilian) guns from the U.S. ", The cartels were smart enough to pick buyers who wouldn't instantly set off alarm bells (aka clean-cut and often white). Oh NOW the ATF Thinks Running Guns to the Mexican Cartels is a Bad Idea 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. By Ioan Grillo Bloomsbury: 400 pages, $28 If you buy books linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission from Bookshop.org . That figures to 17.6 percent of the 29,000 figure for guns seized in Mexico, as given by the country's attorney general. 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. Hell, our source might have sold El Chapo that very rifle. Lets review recent history Genius Boy. An estimated 19% came from California, 15%from Arizona and 25% from other states. Instead, the ATF lost 1,400 (or more!) We know theyre being illegally trafficked through California into Tijuana. [Theres no way for people to buy guns like those in California, either; they are not ban compliant], 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. But, gradually, their suspicions began to pile up " then, we started getting more and more phone calls over the weeks. Military-style weaponry has enabled the drug trafficking organizations to match and sometimes overwhelm the firepower of Mexican law enforcement. 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. All wars are fought with weapons, and the guns used to murder tens of thousands of people in the Mexican War on Drugs mostly come from America.From handguns,. Sandy Huffaker/Getty Images News/Getty Images. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. It is also the native land ofruthless Mexican cartel bossRubn Oseguera Cervantes,a top U.S. target with a $10 million reward for information on his whereabouts. Operation Without a Trace works in sync with efforts by ATF, which targetsstraw purchasers, and the DEA, whose agents piece together conspiracy cases by identifying drug networks and their links to specific cartels. You try and keep it as normal as possible; you don't want to spook him because then everything's shot as well. I'm like, 'makes sense, he's a military kid.' Photo gallery: The top ten favorite guns of the Mexican drug cartels is on the streets after a gun battle between Mexican security forces and suspected cartel gunmen, in Villa Union, Mexico . A gold plated pistol and jewelry, allegedly seized from Manuel Alquisires Garcia, aka "El Meme," sit on display during his presentation to the press of in Mexico City, Monday Sept. 12, 2011. Have a story to share with Cracked? So CA is itself one of those neighboring States that is (cough) responsible for illegal firearms/use across a boundry? In January, a Mexican judge charged. Sept. 7, 2010 -- A shocking new report obtained by ABC News says that as many as three out of four guns used in crimes in Mexico and recovered and capable of being traced can be traced to gun . Typically, the purchaser turns the guns over to a broker who takes them across the border to Mexico, where such weapons cannot be bought legally. [most of his city is north of the border so that shouldnt be a surprise. Every once in a while, a dolt drops a gem. NUEVO LAREDO, MexicoOn March 24 . Shut your pie hole Holder. Oh, surprise, surprise, who was AG of California when this was happening?? SHARE AK-47 favorite gun of cartels WASHINGTON Convicted gun smuggler John Phillip Hernandez of Houston was likely not the kind of customer that Bushmaster Firearms International had in mind when he purchased 14 of the company's .223 caliber AR-15s at Houston area gun shops in 2006 and 2007. PDF OPTIONS FOR U.S. AND MEXICAN POLICY-MAKERS - The Institute of Politics Known as CJNG, the billion-dollar cartel boasts of more than 5,000 members, an army larger than its key rival, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. 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! None of the manufacturers, including Barrett, responded to Reuters requests for comment. You have lost 4,020 Federal, State, and Municipal Police killed by the cartels. The Hearst survey parallel the findings of a Violence Policy Center report from 2009 documenting 21 gun-trafficking court cases involving 1,700 weapons funneled to Mexico, as well as a federal law enforcement report this year, based on 2,921 guns recovered in Mexico and traced to original U.S. purchases between December 2006 and November 2010.