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. "And they're sending leads up to us to connect the dots.". Cant have all those firearms in the USA, so lets pipeline them to Mexico. Cartel forces seized a major regional capital city in broad daylight and defeated the national armed forces in open battle. In the past, Jalisco has obtained squad machine guns, .50-caliber sniper rifles and 40mm grenades and launchers. Then, he says, 'Oh, I've been interested in the Barrett.' The recent California shooting was done by a maniac who drove for almost 12 hours to commit crime. 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 . In fact, according to Newsweek, cartel criminals view American guns as status symbols because, well, they work. The weapons are sold to the cartels, often for three or four times the original price. Im having a memory lapsewhich guns are made in Mexico, exactly? In fact, according to Newsweek, cartel criminals view American guns as status symbols because, well, they work. He campaigned on "Hugs, Not Bullets.". That's the NRA position.". Our source and his manager didn't call the authorities immediately -- buying a fancy gun with cash isn't illegal; otherwise, how would we have rap videos? 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. ", It was a good gig for a while. And four years ago, two sons of El Chapo Guzmn were kidnapped in another restaurant 500 meters from where they shot the former governor two days ago. (zero miles currently built 1 mo gov shut down trump heights built tho??? Gun-rights advocates doubt the accuracy of that claim. It makes Americas 1930s Gangster Era a minor skirmish by comparison, and it has lasted much longer too. If the laws actually worked, wouldnt Arizona, New Mexico, or Texas be the easier route? We can reduce the carnage if pols have the guts to act, Eric Holder (@EricHolder) August 5, 2019, Enough-time for real action. I think thats pretty fair. They want to disarm the USA as they arm who they want. 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. To intercept more Mexico-bound guns, the U.S. Southwest Border Counternarcotics Strategy of 2020, of the National Drug Control Policy, vowed that "the United States will improve criminal-intelligence and information-sharing for illegal weapons trafficking and enhance cooperation with international partners.". 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. Also, follow us on Facebook, and we'll follow you forever. weapons to Mexico. The tribes in America are not allowed to do things like that, instead they have to follow 3 sets of laws, otherwise a lot of white Americans would move to the reservations for some liberty. The M82 can easily penetrate bulletproof vests, concrete walls and even tanks, says its manufacturer Barrett Firearms. I mean all the enforcement is on the American side, very little exists on the Mexican side. Cracked is up for TWO Webby Awards, for Best Humor Site and Best Video Entertainment! Havent you heard anyone who comes to the US and gets a magic piece of paper is just as American and you and I. 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. None of the manufacturers, including Barrett, responded to Reuters requests for comment. ", Well, worry not, James, because the victims were mostly-, "And it's not gonna feel any better if I hear about some village in Mexico getting wiped out.". Same questions. Gunmen battled on a beach near Puerto Morelos as tourists scrambled into a Hyatt . It costs between $8,000 and $10,000, and it can literally put a bullet through most light tanks. He didn't know much about it beside the fact that he wanted it.". And, lucky for them, America had a surplus of Barretts, because "fuck yeah.". 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! Diaz, who pleaded guilty, and Vasquezareawaiting sentencing. From the finest gems, to gold-plated weapons, law enforcement officials say these accused drug dealers have a passion for flashy things. We'll sell those guys so many guns they drown in them! These firearms couldnt possibly coming through California. An estimated 19% came from California, 15%from Arizona and 25% from other states. Once in the hands of cartel capos, however, the modern sporting rifle becomes very much an assault weapon. No secret, everyone knew it, too. Homeland Security teamed with the ATF tolauncha confidential tip line asking for help from the public, displaying the number on about 200 billboards near the border,asking for information on illegal guns bound for Mexico. "These kids weren't sketchy looking dudes; they were all clean-cut, and some were Hispanic. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. He likes tacos. 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. Send any friend a story As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to . Mexican Drug Cartels Agree: American-Made Guns Are the Best, Mexican drug and crime cartels prefer American-made guns. How in the hell can any society withstand such incredible violence and not crumble? ", The Barrett is a rifle with almost no practical criminal uses. 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. The weapons are sold legally but the purchasers must sign a U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives document saying they are buying the guns for themselves. Moodys says these cities may see prices drop up to 10%. Till then, fuck you! NEW YORK (AP) A former Mexican presidential cabinet member was convicted in the U.S. on Tuesday of taking massive bribes to protect the violent drug cartels he was tasked with combating. RELATED:Documents allege Texas DPS spying on Mexico. Some of the reasons so many guns come from Texas: people can cross the border on land or by theRio Grande River, and"in places like Houston and San Antonio, theres a gun store on every corner, said Will Glaspy, formerly in charge of DEA's Houston Division. As of 2018 you have lost 395 servicemen killed and 137 missing, presumed killed by over 100,000 cartel fighters. 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. "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. 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. "You put on a face, like any customer service job, and you try to build a rapport with these guys. Now I cannot make this any more simple for you to understand. Thousands upon thousands of firearms are smuggled into Mexico from the U.S. each year. You have lost 4,020 Federal, State, and Municipal Police killed by the cartels. It works the same way when gun runners from the U.S. funnel second hand guns into Mexico. Since joining the Tulsa World in 1999, I have been a three-time winner of Oklahoma's top award for investigative . Coke was originally supposed to make you smarter or something. We had four or five come in that first guy came in five or six times, saying he was starting a collection. The customized gold-plated handgun of Jaime Gonzalez Duran, aka "Hummer", founder of a group of hitmen called the "Zetas", shown to the press at the hangar of the Federal Police in Mexico City, on November 7, 2008. Earlier this month, theMexican government sued U.S. gun manufacturers in federal court, accusing them of fueling the violence. ", After a couple weeks of escalating sketchiness, they reported the straw purchasers to the ATF, who immediately showed up to shut this shit d-, Sean Rayford/Getty Images News/Getty Images, Nope! 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. A gun that can shoot through tanks is pretty useful for that. Pre-order it now! So Ive just one question for you. Of course, thats not primary the message Newsweek and the mainstream media (not to mention Mexican officials) want readers to take away from their report. In summer, a command intercepted a dozen tourists after being mistaken for members of a rival cartel. You don't buy five to six of the same 10k rifle for a collection. A large-scale drug investigation in the Valley led to the seizure of millions of fentanyl pills, thousands of pounds of meth and more. Take a look at some of the flashiest weapons you'll ever see in the slideshow above. Another solid reason for the U.S. to pass universal back ground checks. COPYRIGHT 2021, THETRUTHABOUTGUNS.COM. It depicts one cartel member dressed in a garish shirt, cowboy hat and belt buckle. 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. Last week, the Treasury sanctioned two Mexican businessmen and four Sinaloa Cartel members in connection with the illicit methamphetamine and fentanyl trade. California gun-control activists credited that state's low total to strict state firearms laws that severely limit sales of military-style weaponry. 1 Make rioting in public while wearing a mask a felony with mandatory prison time. Why havent you established large numbers of military personnel inspecting every truck, train, cargo ship, private boat and aircraft entering the country? For those who never heard about this story. Vasquez was born in Mexico but raised his family in Dallas, where he ran a moving company with his three adult sons. Mexico has very strict restrictions on weapon. 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. In May 2008, Mexican federal police raided a suspected trafficker house in Culiacan, a long-standing drug hotbed in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. 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. 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. I would be one of the richest people on the planet. . From 2006 to 2013, the program expanded until it exploded into the stupidly named "Fast And Furious" scandal. Theycould each face up to 10 years in prison. 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. 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. Pass national weapons carry reciprocity with jail time and heavy fines for any government agent who violates any citizens carry rights. Officers found all of those brands, except Century Arms,in the shipments smuggled by Diaz, court records show. The English actor found the good side of being bad, Bad news that cult recovery group just might be a cult. Distraction. 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. Diaz, who lived in Union Gap, a three-hour drive fromSeattle,tried to cross the border northwest of LaredoonInternational Bridge 2 on May 5, 2020. A spokeswoman for Bushmaster did not respond to repeated calls for comment. 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. Same guys, different job. It all started in 2017, when Norma Llamas Rodriguez, 47,. Violence is rampant across Mexico. Thanks for contacting us. While we're busy patting ourselves on the back, you can pat too by voting here and here. After paying the piso and traveling throughCoahuila, Diaz still wouldhave faced a 14-hour drive south toMichoacn. Agents launched 534investigations, seized $29 million and intercepted more than 1,200 guns,4,700 magazines for semi-automatic and automatic weaponsand 700,000 rounds of ammunition headed to Mexico, Lestrange told The Courier Journalthis month. The sheriff believes cartel coyotes are making between $1,000 and $1,500 for every person brought into the country. ", Once the purchase was completed and the "customer" left the store, " the money was counted with the cameras watching it. . Fast and Furious was a Department of Justice Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) "gunrunning" operation in which the Obama administration allowed guns to be sold to Mexican drug cartels in the hope the weapons would be recovered at crime scenes. It was weird that, one, he came in with $10,000 cash. We had a bunch of light machine guns, like an M249 SAW what caught me off guard is that he and I shot the crap about that one day. 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. Majority all arms used in Mexico, where gun control laws are very strict, are bought in the U.S . 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. The Bureau Of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), despite sounding like the most fun bureau in history, generally frowns on that kind of thing. That figures to 17.6 percent of the 29,000 figure for guns seized in Mexico, as given by the country's attorney general. That included riflesmanufactured in Tennessee and Arkansas capable of downing aircraft or ripping through armored police cars andtanks. 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 were being told, 'Oh, we're tracking their phones, we've got their license plates,' but it just kept happening. In Michoacn, the global powerhouse Crtel Jalisco Nueva Generacin, or CJNG, has been engaged in a long and deadly battle with Sinaloa and other rival cartels. 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. "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 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. 12 of 29 13 of 29 Guns and munitions confiscated from alleged Mexican drug dealers . 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. An Italian-made 9mm pistol that is a best-seller among U.S. law enforcement agencies. MEXICAN drug cartels are using high-powered sniper rifles which fire bullets the size of cigars to take down police helicopters. One of the most dangerous pockets of Mexico City: Teptio, the primary-black market area, under the thumb of the Union Cartel. 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. Dear Mexico: clean up your own house before telling us how to take care of ours. filed a lawsuit in theUS District Court in Massachusetts against the company and 10 other gun manufacturers. Man, how awful am I gonna feel if one of these guys gets plugged with a weapon I sold? Weapons such as the M82 are part of a torrent of illegal arms flowing south, Mexico alleges, partly due to the manufacturers negligent business practices that had encouraged illegal arms trafficking. And we're on commission at the time, so all of us involved are like sweet! Theres no way for people to buy guns like these in Mexico. A close reading of the motion referenced above suggests that the deal with the Sinaloa drug gang may have included shipments of guns to the cartel to be used to thin out the ranks of rival drug . A gold-plated AK-47 rifle seized to alleged leader of "The Resistance" drugs cartel, Ramiro Pozos Gonzalez, aka "El Molca", is presented to the press in Mexico City, on September 12, 2012. Mexican and U.S. authorities arrested Guzman in February; he had eluded authorities for decades. 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? 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. 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. Oh. We were a large store you meet these border patrol agents coming to pick up extra stuff. Given the record number of murders there last year almost 36,000 Mexicans could certainly use some self-defense tools. quoteClown shoes.quote. "Their goal is the bulk purchase of maximum firepower.". The Hearst survey of court cases found these weapons among the top 10: The Belgian-made FN Herstal Five-SeveN: Some versions of this pistol hold 10 rounds; others have a 20-round capacity. South Korean-made grenades have been. Between all the illegal guns and millions in gold, jewelry and diamonds, there are armed guards on constant watch. 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. By Jared Olson. Really, these propagandists have got to get on the same page. If someone is breaking the law, go after them. 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. No, they published this piece in an effort to get the US Congress to tighten Americas gun control laws, ostensibly to stop the alleged flow of guns to Mexico. 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. 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. There were undercover agents in the store, sometimes. 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. This made for an interesting customer service dilemma: How do you deal with a customer you know is: 1. 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. [most of his city is north of the border so that shouldnt be a surprise. It is cheaper at gun outlets in the U.S. Beretta 9mm. ), We want USA to be majority white! And how many bad guys did they get? Snowfall is my favorite show centered around drugs - EVER. Colt Super .38 pistol: Colt, based in West Hartford, Conn., is the corporate legacy of Samuel Colt, who popularized the revolver in the years before the Civil War. 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. Oh, surprise, surprise, who was AG of California when this was happening?? The Insider: Reggie Yates - Episode 2: Mexican Army: War Against Powerful and Violent Drug Cartels | Crime DocumentaryThe Insider: Reggie Yates - Episode 1: . They know how to pull the wool over your eyes.". Of theguns used in crimes in Mexico and traced back to the United States, about 41% camefrom Texas, he said. You have entered an incorrect email address! Here's what he told us. It got to the point where we would give the ATF our cellphone numbers. And then paperwork started. Our source and his employer had just been drawn into the ATF's latest kooky adventure. The California Maniac could just as easily bought a second hand gun and instead of killing people with it could have made handsome profit by selling it and more like it to Mexico because he is not connected by paperwork to what he is selling. 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. Blood Gun Money: How America Arms Gangs and Cartels. CJNG is based in Guadalajara, Mexico's second-largest city, in the state of Jalisco. ReporterKarolSurez contributed to this story. It was run by brothers Jorge Luis, Juan David, and Fabio Ochoa Vasquez; Pablo Escobar; Carlos Lehder; George Jung; and Jose Gonzalo Rodriguez. 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. GREENVILLE, S.C. . But it has expanded operations in the majority of Mexico's states. Theres a little bit of The Dude in a lot of Jeff Bridges performances. U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents contend Vasquez told them he was headed to the city ofMatehuala, a seven-hour drive south of Laredo, Texas, in the Mexican state of San Luis Potos. Being monitored by the ATF, so It's a more powerful version of the Beretta popularized in James Bond novels and films. Explain again how the two assists are not in prison for supplying weapons to know criminals that used the weapons to kill US citizens. The state, about a five-hour drive west of Mexico City,is known for its production of avocados. So, the ATF was like, "We'll show you! The Medellin cartel surged to power in the 1980s. U.S. Customs agents searched hisvehicle at the Eagle Passcrossing and found 43 shotguns, rifles and pistols. 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). 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? 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. Pass a domestic terrorism bill.. not mexican. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. is on the streets after a gun battle between Mexican security forces and suspected cartel gunmen, in Villa Union, Mexico . But then, he broke out the huge bag of cash. Damn Democrat Pipeline! Somehow, gum made out of tree bark is still softer than Bazooka. 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. "It's hard to pinpoint exactly where we think a particular load (of guns) we seized was going,"Lestrange said. 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. The Model 70 receivers were not even heat treated rather they were made from straight bar stock unlike the double heat treated Mausers. By Ioan Grillo Bloomsbury: 400 pages, $28 If you buy books linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission from Bookshop.org . Well, crap. He was badly wounded, while two bodyguards and an innocent bystander were killed. 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. 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. I mean the cartels. They're probably gonna go to super-prison for that. Agreed. It would help gangs and cartels to increase their presence and elevate homicide and crime rates in the U.S. As troll names go, yours is especially stupid. Really, who? 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. 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. View of gun butts made of gold, diamonds, emeralds and rubies to form the Mexican flag, in Culiacan, Sinaloa state on July 12, 2011. Well short answer. 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. So CA is itself one of those neighboring States that is (cough) responsible for illegal firearms/use across a boundry? 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.