U.S. guns arm Mexican drug cartels

[babsbunny]

http://www.latimes.com/news/la-na-guns10-2008aug10,0,6985616.story?track=ntothtml

Licensed weapons dealers are abundant near the border. 'Straw buyers' assist the traffickers.
By Richard A. Serrano, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
August 10, 2008
SIERRA VISTA, ARIZ. -- High-powered automatic weapons and ammunition are flowing virtually unchecked from border states into Mexico, fueling a war among drug traffickers, the army and police that has left thousands dead, according to U.S. and Mexican officials.

The munitions are hidden under trucks and stashed in the trunks of cars, or concealed under the clothing of people who brazenly walk across the international bridges. They are showing up in seizures and in the aftermath of shootouts between the cartels and police in Mexico.

More than 90% of guns seized at the border or after raids and shootings in Mexico have been traced to the United States, according to the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Last year, 2,455 weapons traces requested by Mexico showed that guns had been purchased in the United States, according to the ATF. Texas, Arizona and California accounted for 1,805 of those traced weapons.

[aikoaiko]

1. Another reason why we should work together to secure the border.

[Old Codger]

2. fact is though

you cannot buy "High Powered Automatic Weapons" in the united states without going through more red tape and long waits, sometimes as much as 2-3 years.. so that info is erroneous maybe they mean "semi-automatic" weapons which is the same thing they always do when referring to guns as "assault" rifles which you also cannot buy without the red tape and long wait also here since they too are fully automatic.