Posted on 04/05/2008 2:12:54 PM PDT by kiriath_jearim
ATF is deploying its resources strategically on the Southwest Border to deny firearms, the “tools of the trade,” to criminal organizations in Mexico and along the border, and to combat firearms-related violence affecting communities on both sides of the border. In partnership with other U.S. agencies and with the Government of Mexico, ATF refined its Southwest Border strategy. ATF developed Project Gunrunner to stem the flow of firearms into Mexico and thereby deprive the narcotics cartels of weapons.
The initiative seeks to focus ATF’s investigative, intelligence and training resources to suppress the firearms trafficking to Mexico and stem the firearms-related violence on both sides of the border.
Firearms tracing, in particular the expansion of the eTrace firearms tracing system, is a critical component of Project Gunrunner in Mexico. ATF recently deployed eTrace technology in U.S. consulates in Monterrey, Hermosillo and Guadalajara, with six additional deployments to the remaining U.S. consulates in Mexico scheduled by March 2008. ATF has conducted discussions with the government of Mexico regarding the decentralization of the firearms tracing process to deploy Spanish-language eTrace to other Mexico agencies.
In the past two years, ATF has seized thousands of firearms headed to Mexico.
Trends indicate the firearms illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border are becoming more powerful. ATF has analyzed firearms seizures in Mexico from FY 2005-07 and identified the following weapons most commonly used by drug traffickers:
• 9mm pistols; • .38 Super pistols; • 5.7mm pistols; • .45-caliber pistols; • AR-15 type rifles; and • AK-47 type rifles.
Most of the firearms violence in Mexico is perpetrated by drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) who are vying for control of drug trafficking routes to the United States and engaging in turf battles for disputed distribution territories. Hundreds of Mexican citizens and law enforcement personnel have become casualties of the firearms-related violence. DTOs operating in Mexico rely on firearms suppliers to enforce and maintain their illicit narcotics operations. Intelligence indicates these criminal organizations have tasked their money laundering, distribution and transportation infrastructures reaching into the United States to acquire firearms and ammunition.
These Mexican DTO infrastructures have become the leading gun trafficking organizations operating in the southwest U.S. ATF has dedicated approximately 100 special agents and 25 industry operations investigators to the SWB initiative over the past two years. ATF has recently assigned special agents to Las Cruces, N.M., and Yuma, Ariz. These assignments are part of a broad plan to increase the strategic coverage and disrupt the firearms trafficking corridors operating along the border.
Cases referred for prosecution under Project Gunrunner.
FY 2006 Cases w/Defendants – 122 Defendants referred for prosecution- 306
FY 2007 Cases w/Defendants – 187 Defendants referred for prosecution- 465
Special agents have been deployed to Monterrey to support the work of the attachés in the ATF Mexico Office and assist Mexican authorities in their fight against firearms related violence. Three additional ATF intelligence research specialists and one investigative analyst are planned for the El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC) to support Project Gunrunner, along with one intelligence research specialist in each of the four field divisions on the southwest border (Phoenix, Dallas, Houston and Los Angeles).
Firearm tracing intelligence is critical because it allows ATF and its partners to identify trafficking corridors, patterns and schemes as well as traffickers and their accomplices. Firearms tracing helps identify firearms straw purchasers, the traffickers, trafficking networks and patterns, thus allowing law enforcement to target and dismantle the infrastructure supplying firearms to the DTOs in Mexico.
ATF conducts firearms seminars with federal firearms licensees, commonly referred to as licensed gun dealers, to educate the firearms industry on straw purchasers and gun trafficking. More than 3,700 industry members attended outreach events in SWB divisions in FY 2007.
The greatest deterrence for illegals lies in the citizens. All these government people are just ‘doing their job’. Citizens would be defending their state, town, neighbors, friends, family and home. Who would fight more valiantly, an ATF JBT, or an armed citizen?
Interesting to note that the “AR-15 type” and “AK-47 type” rifles are not identified as “assault” rifles, or is the 5.7mm pistol identified as an “armor-piercing” pistol...
Ping.
Hmmm, BATFAGS vs. illegal aliens with guns. Hard to pick a dog in that fight. Maybe they’ll wipe each other out?
We need to send millions of guns to Mexico. Guns are part of the stuff revolutions are made of, and God knows, they need a revolution.
I agree that Mexico needs a revolution but I disagree that guns are what is needed to for a revolution.
It is ideas that spark a revolution and recent history shows that revolutions can (rarely I admit) succeed with out bloodshed.
Mexico has been sending their propaganda comic books and text books to our country and schools perhaps we should return the favor and send some comic books to Mexico depicting the US revolution and the philosophy of Liberty and Justice.
Its our government providing guns to the Federales and Mexican police that is causing much of the warfare down south.
Re-read my post.
The Founding
fathers tried killing Brits with comic books. It didn’t work. Then they used guns. THAT worked.
Oh yea, the ATF does such a great job of keeping illegal weapons off the streets of our big cities. Now they are going to secure our border. Riiiiiiiiiggghhhhhhttttt.
It sure did.
But until there was a popular uprising of a sizable part of the population revolution was not possible.
It was the comic books that brought together the people, created the popular sentiment that made the revolution a possibility.
The Comic Book by the name of “Common Sense” is in many historians view the seed of the revolution.
IMHO what the Mexicans need is “Common Sense”.
Granted, part of the problem in Mexico lies in the fact that a huge proportion of the population is ignorant. This problem, however, was even more extant during the revolutions that occurred shortly after the turn of the 20th Century. Even so, there was a healthy appetite for revolution. Mexican revolutions have occurred (paradoxically) both regionally and simultaneously, and they erupted for different issues in the various states. Some promoted banditry, others were for agrarian reform, and yet others promoted democratic changes in government that co-related to representation.
Todays Mexicans are generally still very under educated, but, thanks to mass communication, all are very aware that they are being ruled by an oligarchy.
Of course, there are differences in the population of Mexico and that of the 18th Century American colonies; right up there somewhere on the list is that guns are banned in Mexico, except for the police, criminals (not much difference there) and the elite.
The BATFE generally would not do that, they have the MSM to froth at the mouth for them.
Actually only guns of a "military caliber" are banned. That's why .38 Super is so popular in Mexico, it's legal, if heavily regulated.
I wonder what the intelligence reports were about the use of Mexican civilians armed that are willing to join resistance groups in America in exchange for citizenship.
historically America has won its wars with immigrants.
Its no wonder Barry is afraid, imagine a couple million Mexicans all armed and crossing the border en mass, and willing to restore America to a better place for their children.
Interesting thinking about that scenario as most Americans are still just sitting around waiting for 2012.
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