View of gun butts made of gold, diamonds, emeralds and rubies to form the Mexican flag, in Culiacan, Sinaloa state on July 12, 2011. Why Mexico Is Right to Sue U.S. Even got a few border agents killed with those weapons. A total of 852, 29 percent, were from Arizona. 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." Another solid reason for the U.S. to pass universal back ground checks. It weighs around 30 pounds and costs as much as a damn car. 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. Military-style weaponry has enabled the drug trafficking organizations to match and sometimes overwhelm the firepower of Mexican law enforcement. On the Shelf. Hundreds of firearms on display before being destroyed at . In May 2008, Mexican federal police raided a suspected trafficker house in Culiacan, a long-standing drug hotbed in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. But, gradually, their suspicions began to pile up " then, we started getting more and more phone calls over the weeks. 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? Or is it because the CA border is not a barrier to trafficking contraband? 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. That figures to 17.6 percent of the 29,000 figure for guns seized in Mexico, as given by the country's attorney general. ", The cartels were smart enough to pick buyers who wouldn't instantly set off alarm bells (aka clean-cut and often white). Mexico suffered more than 40,000 fatal shootings in 2018, according to public briefings by Mexico's Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard. Enough-time for real action. It all started in 2017, when Norma Llamas Rodriguez, 47,. 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. 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There is strict gun control in Mexico despite the fact that bearing arms is constitutionally protected. Scarface stars Pacino as the indelible gangster and charts his rise as a Cuban immigrant-turned-cocaine cartel captain . South Korean-made grenades have been. Diaz, who pleaded guilty, and Vasquezareawaiting sentencing. A Dallas man claimed he didn't knowassault rifles, pistols and ammunitionwere hidden in his silver SUV as he attempted to cross into Mexico from Laredo, Texas. Gunmen who left behind at least one M82riflewere seen spraying the armor-plated car ofpolicechief Omar Garcia Harfuch with high-velocity rounds. CJNG video shows off high-powered guns:Why a viral drug cartel video showing off tanks and taunts is bad news for the US. ), We want USA to be majority white! There must be a mistake. 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. Also, follow us on Facebook, and we'll follow you forever. Oh, surprise, surprise, who was AG of California when this was happening?? You have lost 4,020 Federal, State, and Municipal Police killed by the cartels. "They didn't look like they were all connected One guy came in with his wife and kids. American firearms power a brutal conflict that has claimed more than 100,000 lives. That leaves the military as the only ones able to battle thecartels.. Weapons and jewelry seized to alleged leader of "El Cartel del Golfo" Jorge Eduardo Costilla Sanchez, aka "El Coss", are presented to the press in Mexico City, on September 13, 2012. Mexico has very strict restrictions on weapon. In fact, according to Newsweek, cartel criminals view American guns as status symbols because, well, they work. 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 row of glass cases are filled with seized weapons. And then paperwork started. The government accuses gun makers and suppliers of knowingly flooding the market with firearms attractive to drug cartels. The majority of U.S. states allow citizens to buy .50-caliber weapons . ", Yvonne Hemsey/Hulton Archive/Getty Images. Thanks for contacting us. Most of the military grade stuff comes from South America and can be traced to US and Soviet shipments to a few countries back in the late 80's. They were used to set up or. But, who gave the arms to the Mexican cartels? Tell you what, you let me have what the Cartels are able to get from the Mexican Military and Ill let you have what I have now. If the laws actually worked, wouldnt Arizona, New Mexico, or Texas be the easier route? The Model 70 receivers were not even heat treated rather they were made from straight bar stock unlike the double heat treated Mausers. A handgun covered with gold and money sized to alleged financial agent of the drug "Cartel del Golfo", Manuel Alquisires Garcia, aka "El Meme" and also know as Agustin Sanchez Morua, are shown during his presentation to the press on September 12, 2011 in Mexico City. I'm like, 'makes sense, he's a military kid.' If not, they should be left alone. 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. They want to disarm the USA as they arm who they want. Many interesting behind-the-scenes bits have happened during the 20 years of telling tales about our favorite trailer-park residents, Bobs never bought Christmas seals he told me he wouldnt know what to feed them, Below you, an entire other world operates. [see the above; Israel, China, Brazil, and many other big arms makers also chip in plenty. Drug cartels are known for heinous acts of violence and blatant disregard for law, but one more thing the outlaws are known for is their taste for the most luxurious items. An arrogant armed American Gringo. 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. Guns and munitions confiscated from alleged Mexican drug dealers Alberto Sanchez Hinojosa aka "El Tony", Francisco Arteaga Espino and Leonel Cruz Hernandez are displayed to the press in Mexico City on September 7, 2008, after they were detained in Villahermosa, Tabasco state. In 2016, members of the Knights Templar cartel in Michoacan state allegedly downed a helicopter with an M82rifle, theMexicanlawsuit said. A straw purchase is when someone buys a gun legally, but then hands it over illegally to another person. "We've got agents and we've got trained criminal investigators from the host government in Mexico working investigations in Mexico," he said. "We were being told, 'Oh, we're tracking their phones, we've got their license plates,' but it just kept happening. "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. "But we also know most of the violence the Mexican government is concerned about against police and against institutions is coming from CJNG and the Sinaloa Cartel" run by the notorious kingpin "El Chapo,"Lestrange said. We know theyre being illegally trafficked through California into Tijuana.. The weapons are sold to the cartels, often for three or four times the original price. How AMLO Has Fueled Mexico's Drug War. California gun-control activists credited that state's low total to strict state firearms laws that severely limit sales of military-style weaponry. The majority of U.S. states allow citizens to buy .50-caliber weapons, something Mexico reserves for its military. We can reduce the carnage if pols have the guts to act, Eric Holder (@EricHolder) August 5, 2019, Enough-time for real action. Declare Eric Holder a domestic terrorist and arrest him. Then, they were let go, because what they had done hadn't been illegal -- they hadn't seen a hand off. 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. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. I mean the cartels. Seriously, I feel your pain. Earlier this month, theMexican government sued U.S. gun manufacturers in federal court, accusing them of fueling the violence. It was going on all over the city -- we knew we weren't the only store -- you've got plenty of evidence, you know where they live. But, one boy was a white boy who told me he had served. Now, he's militarized the country. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_Drug_War. At the same time, Mexico remains a cautionary preview of what might happen in America if we adopted Mexican-style gun control. DEA agents say the cartel was trying to instill fear in its enemies and woo new members. It's a more powerful version of the Beretta popularized in James Bond novels and films. The English actor found the good side of being bad, Bad news that cult recovery group just might be a cult. "And they're sending leads up to us to connect the dots.". 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. We were a large store you meet these border patrol agents coming to pick up extra stuff. A spokeswoman for Bushmaster did not respond to repeated calls for comment. build the wall you promised us! 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. Why havent you closed your northern border with a massive military presence to stop south bound smuggling? Snowfall is my favorite show centered around drugs - EVER. Our source and his employer had just been drawn into the ATF's latest kooky adventure. Mexico remains a cautionary preview of what might happen in America if we adopted Mexican-style gun control.. Between all the illegal guns and millions in gold, jewelry and diamonds, there are armed guards on constant watch. 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. Among Mexican traffickers, it has earned itself the nickname "cuerno de chivo" or "goat horn" because of its distinctive banana-shaped magazine. Because they could be doing a hell of a lot more to fight smuggling into the country and to protect their own good guy guns from being stolen. I would be one of the richest people on the planet. An estimated 20 attorneys, many based in Texas, are expected to unite to represent Mexico,including six companies they blame for the bulk of recovered crime guns there:Smith & Wesson, Beretta, Century Arms, Colt, Glockand Ruger. How could the ATF make selling firearms to the cartels a more pleasurable process? Last week, the Treasury sanctioned two Mexican businessmen and four Sinaloa Cartel members in connection with the illicit methamphetamine and fentanyl trade. California already has background check laws & every other useless gun control policy you fools have dreamed up. A Hearst Newspapers survey of 1,600 guns purchased mostly in Texas and Arizona which were either shipped to Mexico or intercepted en route shows the Bushmaster .223 AR-15 ranks second among firearms apparently used in drug warfare. For those who never heard about this story. The arrests on January 19 are the result of Operation Semper Infidelis, a Los Angeles Strike Force investigation that targeted a domestic weapons trafficking organization that provided firearms and ammunition to the Crtel Jalisco Nueva Generacin (CJNG), one of the largest and most violent drug cartels in Mexico. SHARE AK-47 favorite gun of "Project Gunrunner" (at least they were honest with the name) kicked off in 2006. More than 40 people have been charged in the Upstate of South Carolina as part of a drug-trafficking case known as "Las Seoritas," according to Attorney General Alan Wilson . Never mind that the majority of the cartels armament needs are met by leaks of official weaponry bought by the Mexican military. not mexican. 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. One room of the museum is dedicated to narco culture. He didn't know much about it beside the fact that he wanted it.". 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. 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. Yes, Mexico has some house cleaning of their own to do, but it would help a great deal if the U.S. had much tighter gun control and drug enforcement. Alfred Guzman and Ivan Guzman are the sons of Joaqun (El Chapo) Guzmn Loera better known as the infamous kingpin of the Sinaloa cartel, which is North America's post powerful, and feared, organization trafficking drugs and laundering money worldwide. 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. In November 2009, the ATF's Phoenix field office launched an operation in which guns bought by drug-cartel straw purchasers in the U.S. were allowed to "walk" across the border into Mexico. 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. Given the record number of murders there last year almost 36,000 Mexicans could certainly use some self-defense tools. In fact, according to Newsweek, cartel criminals view American guns as status symbols because, well, they work. Today, the two primary uses of the Barrett are "anti-material" (aka destroying enemy vehicles) and "ridiculous toy for rich people." 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. SALT LAKE CITY A Utah woman is heading to federal prison for buying dozens of high powered rifles for Mexican drug cartel members. A gold plated pistol and jewelry, allegedly seized from Manuel Alquisires Garcia, alias "El Meme," sit on display during his presentation to the press of in Mexico City, Monday Sept. 12, 2011. None of the manufacturers, including Barrett, responded to Reuters requests for comment. In summer, a command intercepted a dozen tourists after being mistaken for members of a rival cartel. 24 of 29 25 of 29 A handgun covered with gold and money sized to alleged financial agent of the drug "Cartel . I came here to say this. Did that law get repealed or expire? 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. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration blames CJNG and the Sinaloa Cartel for the bulk of America's illicit fentanyl, the top killer during the deadliest drug epidemic in U.S. history. Criminal organizations operating in Tamaulipas, Guerrero, and Jalisco were the most armed in the country, at least in the last year. So CA is itself one of those neighboring States that is (cough) responsible for illegal firearms/use across a boundry? 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. He sent in the federal police along with army units in an attempt to eliminate high value . Sandy Huffaker/Getty Images News/Getty Images. Yet, none of that is relevant, history is often forgotten. Mexican Ambassador Arturo Sarukhan argued against doubts raised by the National Rifle Association that ninety percent of all assault weapons seized in . From 2006 to 2013, the program expanded until it exploded into the stupidly named "Fast And Furious" scandal. 3. (PS, you may want to arm your Civilians so they can fight the cartel) Same guys, different job. CJNG members posted a video that went viral on social media in July2020 showing off their arsenal of tanks and .50-caliber guns. The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives contends the most popular are the FN-57 pistol, once nicknamed the cop-killer for the ammo it could fire; the AR type 223 rifle and the. But, the ATF's "sell guns to cartels and then maybe try to catch them if we've got time" plan actually dates back to the Bush Administration. "He never saw those guns," his attorney told The Courier Journal. The bridge connectsEagle Pass, Texas, to the Northern Mexicocity of Piedras Negras in the state of Coahuila. Gun-rights advocates doubt the accuracy of that claim. A gun that can shoot through tanks is pretty useful for that. Maybe, he'll see this and send a thank you card. The flow of high-caliber arms smuggled across the porous U.S. border has alarmed Mexican officials and few weapons are as powerful as the U.S.-made M82 semi-automatic rifle increasingly favored by . Eighty-seven percent of traceable firearms seized by the Mexican government have been traced back to the U.S. We've inadvertently "gifted" Mexico with more than 64,000 firearms over the last five years. See any connections here? Not the party of civil rights,, wait the Democratic Party is not nor has it ever been the Party of Civil Rights as it has always opposed and still opposes the Constitution; it has been and continues to be the Party of Civil Right Suppression, the Party of Slavery, the Party of the KKK, the Party who opposed voting rights,, (just Google it, Google any historic Democratic Politician in history). The main character, Franklin is brilliant. As of 2018 you have lost 395 servicemen killed and 137 missing, presumed killed by over 100,000 cartel fighters. 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. Even ballistic helmets were seen in use. "Operation Fast And Furious," the one you've actually heard about, launched in 2009. Cartel gunmen armed with AK-47s purchased in Arizona overwhelmed the police, killing eight. "Operation Wide Receiver" was a subset of the overall project, centered around Arizona. Two of those weapons were tracked to the murder of a U.S. Border Patrol agent: The whole mess immediately became an embarrassment for the Obama administration. The raw power of therifle, which weighs about 31 lb and is 4.9 feet long, was on show in mid-2020 during a military-style assassination attempt on Mexico Cityspolicechief that was captured by surveillance cameras. And how many bad guys did they get? 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. Miguel Diaz Calderon never made it out of Texas. Two women were killed in the crossfire when rival gangs started shooting at a popular sidewalk restaurant in Tulum. One of the most dangerous pockets of Mexico City: Teptio, the primary-black market area, under the thumb of the Union Cartel. Send any friend a story As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to . Its a very symbolic weapon in the narco world and for the narco esthetic, Grandmaison said. In Mexico City, the military has a museum used to train officials, diplomats, and cadets about the war on drugs. Get the best of Cracked sent directly to your inbox! And, lucky for them, America had a surplus of Barretts, because "fuck yeah.". 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 . The Chicago study proved guns used in crime were often at least 11 years old and had passed through many hands making it impossible to trace them to the person that used them in a crime. "You put on a face, like any customer service job, and you try to build a rapport with these guys. Drug cartels have been using monster type armored cars for about 15 years these recent photos clashes in tamaulipas between cdn and cdg they use m82 m017 barrets also m2 machine guns and 40mm grenades this doesn't happen very far from egle pass texas or mcallen texas . Cartels often use drug profits to pay Americans to buy weaponsfor them at retail stores andgun shows, called straw purchases. Mexico: 18 bodies found after suspected drug cartel gun battle The bullet-ridden bodies of 18 men were discovered in Zacatecas state after apparent confrontation between suspected. After paying the piso and traveling throughCoahuila, Diaz still wouldhave faced a 14-hour drive south toMichoacn. 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 :). 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. This is a carousel. "I was working in a very large gun store in Phoenix at the time, and we sold everything. In the absence of sane border security policies, Guerra said, drug cartels decide who crosses, and people in their organizations use the children to enter the U.S. The Central Intelligence Agency was intimately involved with the federal government's infamous "Operation Fast and Furious" scheme to send American weapons to Mexican drug cartels while. ", Your elite government task force in action, everybody: "Guess we just gave the bad guys a buncha weapons." 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. Mexican security personnel eventually turned him over to cartel gunmen after the arrest prompted a raging gun battle with extremely heavily armed fighters, including some with American-made . You have entered an incorrect email address! Mexican and U.S. authorities arrested Guzman in February; he had eluded authorities for decades. Known as "El Mencho," he commands the 5,000 member CJNG, nowas powerful as the Sinaloa Cartel but less known. Violence in Mexico has claimed nearly 40,000 lives since President Felipe Calderon began a military offensive aimed at overpowering drug cartels. 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. You took their 4473 and transcribed all that, then it asked what type of transaction it was, how many 100s, how many 50s, how many 10s, ones. Have a story to share with Cracked? One thing struck him as particularly odd: " as I'm ringing up the transaction, he has one of those little drawstring backpacks. Guns and munitions confiscated to alleged Mexican drug dealers Alberto Sanchez Hinojosa aka "El Tony", Francisco Arteaga Espino and Leonel Cruz Hernandez are displayed to the press in Mexico City on September 7, 2008. June 23, 2022, 4:35 PM. They also discoveredmore than 10,000 rounds of ammunition hidden in an ice chest in the gas tankand inside the spare tire,court records show. MEXICAN drug cartels are using high-powered sniper rifles which fire bullets the size of cigars to take down police helicopters. Man, how awful am I gonna feel if one of these guys gets plugged with a weapon I sold? Those Ma Dueces & full auto Norinco Type 56 carbines arent coming from America, duh], In addition to weapons from the States working better, Mexico cartels view firearms as status symbols, retired DEA agent Jack Riley told The San Diego Union-Tribune: It is really important to these criminal organizations, who stay in business by the threat of violence and through the use of violence; and the tools that they prefer to do that with are American-made guns. [whats the status symbol aspect have to do with anything? Into Mexico.. Our own government is gifting military weapons to Mexico & those arms are being used by the cartels. Pre-order it now! So, in 2006, they started experimenting with "gunwalking," essentially letting the cartels smuggle guns into Mexico so they could track them down and catch them. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. Pass universal background checks, end loopholes: gunshow and Charleston. 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. Your selective quoting left out California being the source of Tijuanas American weapons (which is but a small minority of total weapons used down there, not that the article mentions that relevant fact). Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., pressed Garland regarding the opioid epidemic, highlighting that fentanyl is responsible for more deaths than guns and car accidents. 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. Blood Gun Money: How America Arms Gangs and Cartels. Andrea Waguespack is a features digital producer for the Houston Chronicle. They want the firearms only in the hands they want so that they can execute their plan. Total dead including common citizens, murdered politicians and cartel members was at 115,000 estimated for 2006 thru 2018. I do not fault Mexico for failing to try, but I do wonder if somebody down there on the anti-cartel side is simultaneously trying to fail? *awkward shrug*, Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images News/Getty Images. No way the Democrats would support increasing the numbers of guns in the world. . Its compactness makes it easy to conceal and some versions can hold a 30-round magazine, made of lightweight polymer. How does the cartel feel about branded accessories? The survey drawn from guns identified by manufacturer or importer in U.S. court documents from 44 cases involving 165 defendants in Texas, Arizona and three other states shows the purveyors of guns to Mexican drug traffickers followed a time-honored maxim of product salesmanship: Bigger is definitely better. quoteClown shoes.quote. ", The Barrett is a rifle with almost no practical criminal uses. A roster of convicted cartel members, ex-smugglers and former Mexican officials testified that Garca Luna took millions of dollars in cartel cash, met with major traffickers and kept law. 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. ATF agents say almost 100 of those weapons have turned up at cartel-related crime scenes in. Guns are funneled into the closest or easiest crossing into Mexico and they come from other states with lax laws. I'm a projects reporter, examining key education topics and other local issues. Are insane ticket costs pricing Astros fans out of Opening Day? American guns are ok, and many of the gun companies from the above countries have some US manufacturing. 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. The "El Presidente" model is popular in Mexico because it is one of the few guns legally available there, according to the Violence Policy Center. 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.