Publication Date: April 2009
What does it say?
A horrifying increase of gun trafficking from the United States to Mexico has lead to the armoring of the Mexican drug cartel. Press reports revealed a 367% increase of traces of illegal gun trafficking to Mexico from 2006 to 2008 with Texas, Arizona, and California as the three highest sources. Court documents from 21 federal court cases alleging illegal gun trafficking to Mexico document that 209 of 494 firearms were assault weapons, or 42.5%.
How can I use it?
The high number of powerful, American-made guns falling into the hands of Mexican drug lords is endangering public health and safety. Encourage your legislator to repeal the Tiahrt Amendment that limits the amount of trace data available to ATF and to the public. We need the data to discover the complete extent of gun trafficking. Alert the media, legislators, and general public of the concrete evidence of gun trafficking from the U.S. to Mexico in this report. The government should adopt laws to protect the American and Mexican peoples.
Citation
Rand, Kristen. Indicted: Types of Firearms and Methods of Gun Trafficking from the United States to Mexico as Revealed in U.S. Court Documents, Washington, DC: The Violence Policy Center, April 2009.
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