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View Full Version : IS multiple-purchase reporting the silver bullet to STOP gun smuggling to Mexico?



gkstemple
08-13-2011, 06:23 PM
Let's see if there's any data on how well investigations of multiple-purchased PISTOLS turned out.

The News Story link:

http://www.kvia.com/news/27146962/detail.html

Link to the Indictment:

http://www.kvia.com/download/2011/0311/27153928.pdf

Comments supported by the text in the indictment are inclosed in [ ].

. . . the result of an intensive yearlong investigation initiated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and ICE Homeland Security Investigations, that later expanded to include the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Attorney's Las Cruces Branch Office.

. . . between January 2010 and March 2011, the defendants engaged in a conspiracy to purchase firearms for illegal export to Mexico. During this 14-month period, the defendants allegedly purchased about 200 firearms . . .

[213 firearms involved -- 210 PISTOLS, 3 rifles. The vast majority of pistols were multiple-purchased, hence triggering the reporting requirement.]

. . . 40 AK-47-type pistols, weapons resembling AK-47 rifles but with shorter barrels and without rear stocks, and American Tactical 9 mm caliber pistols . . .

[During this “intensive” investigation, the defendants bought 123 AK-47-type pistols, 10 of which have been “found in Mexico” (says the indictment) and 40 of which were seized by U.S. law enforcement.]
[During this “intensive” investigation, the defendants bought 76 American Tactical 9mm pistols. It appears 20 of the last 30 purchased may have be “shadowed” from the purchase to the El Paso bus station, and another 10 to the home of the one suspect not apprehended, but no indication of seizure.]
[During this “intensive” investigation, the defendants bought 4 FN-5.7 pistols.]
[During this “intensive” investigation, the defendants bought 2 Ruger .45 caliber pistols. Those 2 Ruger .45 caliber pistols have been “found in Mexico” (says the indictment).]

. . . every effort was made to seize firearms from defendants to prevent them from entering into Mexico, and no weapons were knowingly permitted to cross the border.

[During this “intensive” investigation it appears 20 American Tactical 9mm pistols were “shadowed” to the El Paso bus station, 10 more "shadowed" to the the home of the one suspect not apprehended and ? ? ? ]

BOTTOM LINE: Twelve of the 210 Pistols involved were “found in Mexico” (as of the date of the indictment). 158 pistols and 3 rifles are unaccounted for and could be in criminal hands anywhere, on either side of the border. Pistols unaccounted for include: 73 AK-47-type, 76 American Tactical 9mm, 4 FN-5.7, 1 TP 9mm, 1 Tarus .22, 1 Kel Tec .380, 1 unknown make .45 and 1 unknown make and caliber handgun.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: The press story phrase “. . . investigation initiated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and ICE Homeland Security Investigations”. . . very nearly SCREAMS “stimulus money”.

The indictment shows a very significant “up tick” in AK-47-type pistol purchases “post-Brian Terry”. Seven of the thirty-eight AK-47-type pistols bought between 1/13/2011 and 1/24/2011 were listed in the indictment (filed 8 March 2011) as being “found in Mexico”.

Text in the indictment indicates a tighter surveillance may have begun on 1/25/2011 and, with the exception of 10 American Tactical 9mm pistols purchased on 2/9/2011, all firearms bought by the defendants after 1/25/2011 were seized by U.S. Law Enforcement.

Time from last crime in the Indictment to Indictment Filed was 13 days, including weekends.

Gary

incusus
08-13-2011, 09:08 PM
unless it affects guns smugled into mexico from other central american countries and from going missing from mexican government arsenals, I'd say thats like asking if one misplaced sandbag would have helped new orleans during kartina...

jlottmc
08-15-2011, 08:38 AM
No, go over to www.thetruthaboutguns.com and read the ATF death watch series. Lots of good info there, and easily broken down.