Why should Mexican drug lords bother with moving guns from the U.S. to Mexico when they can simply use their own drug routes with less expense and less risk?
Posted on 06/20/2009 6:51:27 AM PDT by epow
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report this week entitled, "Firearms Trafficking: U.S. Efforts to Combat Arms Trafficking to Mexico Face Planning and Coordination Challenges."
Among other things, the report asserts that Mexican officials consider illicit firearms the number one crime problem affecting their country's security; that about 87 percent of firearms seized in Mexico and traced by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (BATFE) in the last five years originated in the United States; and that these firearms are increasingly more powerful and lethal, including "high-caliber and high-powered" AK-47 and AR-15 type semi-automatic rifles. The report further contends that the country's law enforcement agencies are insufficiently organized, and that Mexico has a history of corruption at the federal, state and local levels.
With regard to the "87 percent" statistic, the report's figures make clear that BATFE only traces a fraction of the guns seized. Those firearms are not selected randomly, but are likely selected because they are the guns most likely to have come from the U.S. Trace data reveals nothing about the large number of guns that are not traced.
The report also states "According to U.S. and Mexican government officials, these firearms have been increasingly more powerful and lethal in recent years. For example, many of these firearms are high-caliber and high-powered, such as AK and AR-15 type semiautomatic rifles." The report, however, states that about 25 percent of firearms traced were of that type, which works out to only eight percent of all firearms seized. Also, the report does not indicate what percentage of murde
(Excerpt) Read more at nraila.org ...
Another analysis indicated 7,000 out of about 30,000 guns were “traced.” Hardly a conclusive report.
87% of those tracked by the BATF. I’m surprised that its no 100% given the Mexicans only contact them concerning weapons that have U.S. import markings or manufacture data on them.
Sort of like saying that 87% of the cars used in a crime that Florida asked Georgia to trace originated in Georgia.
Why should Mexican drug lords bother with moving guns from the U.S. to Mexico when they can simply use their own drug routes with less expense and less risk?
High-caliber? High-powered? Are these different from AR-15 semi-autos I know about? 5.56 mm isn't exactly an elephant gun round.
More,,,,,
In Border States, BATFE Asks: “May We See Your Guns?”
Friday, June 19, 2009
NRA-ILA has recently received several calls from NRA members in border states who have been visited or called by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. In some cases, agents have asked to enter these people’s homes, and requested serial numbers of all firearms the members possess.
In each case, the agents were making inquiries based on the number of firearms these NRA members had recently bought, and in some cases the agents said they were asking because the members had bought types of guns that are frequently recovered in Mexico.
This kind of questioning may or may not be part of a legitimate criminal investigation. For example, when BATFE traces a gun seized after use in a crime, manufacturers’ and dealers’ records will normally lead to the first retail buyer of that gun, and investigators will have to interview the buyer to find out how the gun ended up in criminal hands. But in other cases, the questioning may simply be based on information in dealers’ records, with agents trying to “profile” potentially suspicious purchases.
On the other hand, some of the agents have used heavy-handed tactics. One reportedly demanded that a gun owner return home early from a business trip, while another threatened to “report” an NRA member as “refusing to cooperate.” That kind of behavior is outrageous and unprofessional.
Whether agents act appropriately or not, concerned gun owners should remember that all constitutional protections apply. Answering questions in this type of investigation is generally an individual choice. Most importantly, there are only a few relatively rare exceptions to the general Fourth Amendment requirement that law enforcement officials need a warrant to enter a home without the residents’ consent. There is nothing wrong with politely, but firmly, asserting your rights.
If BATFE contacts you and you have any question about how to respond, you may want to consult a local attorney. NRA members may also call NRA-ILA’s Office of Legislative Counsel at (703) 267-1161 for further information. Whether contacting a local attorney or NRA, be sure to provide as many details as possible, including the date, time, and location, agent’s name, and specific questions asked.
Oh please. Some MExican drug gang is going to get all of their arms by soliciting an American grandma to buy a rifle. A typical Hussein-type report. Make the Messiah happy or re-figure the statistics until you do!
But of course this means they are keeping records of that which they are not supposed to keep records of. Unless they are acting strictly on the multiple purchase reports, and this does not sound like that. After all, very few folks go in and buy 10 ARs or AKs at a whack.
“... these firearms are increasingly more powerful and lethal, including “high-caliber and high-powered” AK-47 and AR-15 type semi-automatic rifles....”
How are they able to obtain them, from whom??
Bump for later reading.
Back during The Great Depression, President Herbert Hoover ordered the deportation of ALL illegal aliens in order to make jobs available to American citizens that desperately needed work.
Harry Truman deported over two million Illegal’s after WWII to create jobs for returning veterans.
And then again in 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower deported 13 million Mexican Nationals! The program was called ‘Operation Wetback’. It was done so WWII and Korean Veterans would have a better chance at jobs. It took 2 Years, but they deported them!
Now...if they could deport the illegal’s back then - they could surely do it today!
Can somebody please answer a simple question for me?
The price of a “real” AK-47, capable of fully automatic fire, is actually lower on the world market, than the semi-auto only versions sold in the US. I presume it’s the same for M-16s, since they would be coming, in bulk, directly from government warehouses. It’s not like there’s any reason for the drug cartels to avoid importing weapons from illegal sources!
Why in the world would criminals buy semi-auto only guns from “legal” channels in the US, since they’re more expensive, and could lead to “problems?”
It just doesn’t make any sense at all, and I want to call “Shenanigans!”
Mark
Report: US not doing enough against gun smuggling
WASHINGTON — Two federal agencies are being faulted for not coordinating their efforts against border gunrunners, a failure one lawmaker says made it easier for Mexican drug cartels to smuggle illegal weapons from the United States.
-snip-
• ATF did not tell ICE about a covert operation where ATF agents delivered weapons across the border in an attempt to ferret out the Mexican organizations receiving illegal arms.
ATF should have notified ICE about the controlled attempt to export weapons illegally, the GAO said. Lack of coordination raised the chances that the weapons could end up in the wrong hands.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090618/ap_on_go_co/us_drug_war_guns
I'd bet that the 17% or so of firearms seized in mexico and traced to US origins came from individual citizens who had someone 'import' them for protection. I'd back that bet with another saying that virtually 100% of the semi-automatic only "M16" and "AK47" style rifles seized in mexico fall into that group.
The bad guys can buy full auto and untraceable weapons in bulk and, since their business is illegal import and export to begin with, have no trouble getting them to their ground troops. Ordinary citizens, on the other hand, will have to rely on relatives in the US, small time smugglers, and wildly inflated price tags to get anything at all for personal protection.
Of course "they" could, if "they" wanted to but "they" don't. One group of "theys" who don't want illegals deported is the Democrat party, which is eagerly looking forward to millions of new Hispanic immigrants voting illegally for Democrats in future elections. Nationwide, over 60% of legally registered Hispanics vote Democrat, and the percentage is much higher in states where most Hispanics are of Mexican extraction.
Another major reason illegals are not deported is that businesses and industry love the cheap labor they provide. They contribute heavily to members of Congress and the Senate who vote against and work against any legislation that would mandate deporting illegals and stopping more illegals from entering.
I know a native Liberian who married an American woman and now lives part time in the US. In the aftermath of the fairly recent Liberian civil war the normal going price for a used but serviceable full auto AK-47 on the Monrovia black market is, or was recently, $50.
I don't know what a FULL auto AK smuggled in from Africa sells for in Mexico, but I'm pretty sure it would be far less than what a SEMI-auto AK or Bushmaster smuggled from the US would go for. A Mexican drug runner would be a fool to pay up to $1000 or more for a semiauto AK or AR smuggled in from the US if he can get the original full auto version for far less.
Thanks for posting that. I just read it in my nra-ila news. Going to people's houses? This is just plain scary. IMHO, You should post it as an article. People need to know.
My response: "May I see your warrant?"
.22 caliber to be obviously clear...
I'll gladly let the idiots who use those terms shoot my .223 -- and then shoot my old British SMLE (.303) carbine -- with steel buttplate. That should give them some perspective... '-)
I had an old WWI era Smellie myself many years ago when they were sold at Sears for $9.95. The full length rifle didn't kick too bad, but the WWII era so-called Jungle Carbine that my friend bought kicked like a mule. It must have been the odd shaped buttstock that magnified the felt recoil because I have fired many modern rifles since then that are quite a bit more powerful but don't kick as much. Or at least you don't feel the recoil as much as you do with the old Smellies and 03 Springfields.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.