Drugs in, Weapons Out.

Recent efforts by Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) have disrupted the flow of weapons and cash into the hands of cartels in Mexico. Moreover, from July to September of 2009, seizures of firearms increased by 65 percent along the southwest border, which lead to the seizure of 600 illegal weapons by ICE and CBP officers (ATF). Being that cartels are used to acquiring whatever they may need, they also have a preference for weapons.  The “tools of the trade” that are sought out the most by Mexican cartels include: 9mm pistols; .38-caliber revolvers; 5.7mm pistols; .223-caliber rifles; 7.62mm rifles; and .50 caliber rifles (ATF). Cartel choice of weapons consists of weapons that can be carried on ones person like 9mm pistols and 5.7 mm pistols. As for rifles, the 50 caliber rifle is one to be feared due to its shooting range capabilities and its power. If there were less weapons being crossed into Mexico, the violence level would be significantly decreased throughout Mexico.

                                                                                          

Unfortunately, weapons that make it across the southwest border and reach the hands of cartel members come from the U.S. The states which most guns are obtained from include California, Texas, and Arizona (ATF). It's estimated that approximately 2,000 weapons are transported across the southwest border on a daily basis, thus making it difficult for CBP to detect all of the weapons that are being smuggled across the border into Mexico (Johnson, 2010). In addition, Johnson states that woman are being used to purchase weapons, for current laws prohibit convicted felons from purchasing weapons legally in the U.S. The elaborate ways in which guns are being transported over the southwest border makes seizure of such weapons difficult, but also adding to the level of difficulty is the “straw buyers” who are being used in order to purchase weapons for the purpose of being used by cartels (Johnson, 2010). Cartels recent recruiting of woman to purchase guns in order to avoid any suspicions by gun dealers according to Johnson. The demand for weapons in behalf of cartels has encouraged those who are able purchase weapons to obtain them, thus weapon availability is facilitated.

            Cartels desire to control the drug trade, fuels their need to be on top of every cartel that competes against them. Currently, cartels choice of weapons various from pistols that can be carried on their person to weapons known to cause severe damage or death, but yet they all kill. Recently, cartels have resorted to using “straw buyers” to purchase their weapons, but woman have recently been used in order to obtain guns legally in the U.S. In order to reduce the violence in Mexico and prevent drug traffickers from continuing to spill the blood of innocent people, rivals, and law enforcement personnel Mexico and U.S. cooperation needs to be continued in order to impact the large number of weapons that are making it across the southwest border and into the hands of drug traffickers.   

References

Johnson, K. (2010, October 1). Border vehicle searches net few guns. USA Today, Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.
Johnson, K. (2009, August 24). Gun runners recruiting women as purchasers. USA Today, Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.
www.atf.gov/press/releases/2009/04/040209-doj-factsheet-combatting-mexican-cartels.htm