April 12, 2009 12:10 PM

Mexico: U.S. Supplies 90% Of Cartel's Guns

By
Michelle Levi
Topics
In The News
(CBS)
Mexican Ambassador Arturo Sarukhan argued against doubts raised by the National Rifle Association that ninety percent of all assault weapons seized in northern Mexican originate from the United States.

The key issue, Sarukhan reiterated on CBS News' on Face The Nation Sunday, is to stop the flow of U.S. firearms and cash, "which is providing drug cartels in Mexico with the wherewithal to corrupt, to bribe, to kill.

"Ninety percent of all weapons we are seizing in Mexico, Bob, are coming from across the United States," he said, citing the high number of Federal firearms licenses a few miles north of the border. "Just on the Arizona and Texas borders with Mexico alone there are approximately 7,000 FFLs, federal firearms licensees. And weapons bought by the drug syndicates, directly or proxy purchases, are coming from those gun shops."

Schieffer noted that the NRA has taken issue with the statistic, and asked the ambassador where the data originates – a question Sarukhan did not directly answer, although he used the example of a recent weapons seizure in a border town to explain how much ammunition U.S. sellers are directing to drug cartels.

"We seized more than 250 assault weapons and half-a-million rounds of ammo, these have just crossed over the border," he explained. "By tracing back these weapons, by looking at the type of weapons, we determined that most of these weapons are coming from the United States."

Pushed by Schieffer about how Mexican authorities can be so sure the majority of the weapons originated in the States, Sarukhan said through research with AFT they discovered that most the grenades are coming from Guatemala, while most of the assault weapons come from the United States.

Schieffer asked if the ambassador would support the U.S. reinstating the ban on assault weapons.

"The assault weapons ban ran out in 2004, Bob," he said, "and since then we have seen a rise of assault weapons being seized in Mexico.

"There is a direct correlation between the expiration of the assault weapons ban and our seizures of assault weapons," he argued.

Sarukhan admitted that the Mexican government cannot determine how Congress and the Obama administration would move on the ban, but he did say that reinstating the ban "is one of the instruments … that could have a profound impact on the number and the caliber of weapons doing down to Mexico."


More from Face The Nation (4.12.09):
  • Mexican Official: U.S. Needs To Work With Us
  • Schieffer Commentary: Having Faith In The Power Of Love
  • Read The Complete Transcript> (pdf)


    To watch Mexican Ambassador Arturo Sarukhan discuss the violent drug war raging on the U.S.-Mexico border, click on the video player below.



    To watch a roundtable discussion of America's international role with the Washington Post's Rajiv Chandrasekaran, David Sanger of The New York Times and Syndicated Columnist Kathleen Parker, click on the video player below.


    • Add a Comment See all 42 Comments
    by erock--2008 September 8, 2010 3:02 AM EDT
    Has anyone ever heard of the school of the Americas? If you havn't, it is because it isn't very well publicized. It's where we (the CIA, DEA, and other federal organizations) train our southern American nation partners in terror tactics, and guerrilla warfare techniques. It's also where a lot of the more sophisticated war hardware is distributed to them from. The reports that say we (American FFL holders)sell the Mexican drug cartels their hardware don't bother to trace them to actual sources because most of it is disbursed via "official channels". Meaning that we make the hardware, and sell it to military, police, and other federal organizations in Mexico and other Central and Southern American countries. It is later stolen by officers and military personnel who go rogue. It's also bribed out of the hands of corrupt individuals in the governments of the purchasing countries. Beyond that, although we have discontinued a number of terrorist projects in South and Central America, we left a lot of hardware down there, and it has invariably ended up in many of the "wrong hands" ever since.

    Although it is really convenient to blame it all on US FFL holders, the fact is that a minute percentage actually originates from them. This is because the sale of fully automatic weapons is monitored and regulated very well. As such, if a significant volume of weapons were going to unaccounted for recipients from a (or many) FFL holders, it would draw the ire of the BATF, FBI, NSA, INS, and an alphabet soup of other federal investigatory bodies. And before anyone goes jumping to conclusions concerning the sale of such weapons at Gun Shows, just remember that unlike drugs, the number of guns necessary to justify the risk of being caught VERY HARD TO CONCEAL!!! Given this fact alone, it would actually make more sense to suggest that our own government were supplying the guns than to assume individual dealers, or even groups of independent dealers were providing the vast numbers of US weapons showing up down there.

    -E
    Reply to this comment
    by erock--2008 September 8, 2010 3:01 AM EDT
    Has anyone ever heard of the school of the Americas? If you havn't, it is because it isn't very well publicized. It's where we (the CIA, DEA, and other federal organizations) train our southern American nation partners in terror tactics, and guerrilla warfare techniques. It's also where a lot of the more sophisticated war hardware is distributed to them from. The reports that say we (American FFL holders)sell the Mexican drug cartels their hardware don't bother to trace them to actual sources because most of it is disbursed via "official channels". Meaning that we make the hardware, and sell it to military, police, and other federal organizations in Mexico and other Central and Southern American countries. It is later stolen by officers and military personnel who go rogue. It's also bribed out of the hands of corrupt individuals in the governments of the purchasing countries. Beyond that, although we have discontinued a number of terrorist projects in South and Central America, we left a lot of hardware down there, and it has invariably ended up in many of the "wrong hands" ever since.

    Although it is really convenient to blame it all on US FFL holders, the fact is that a minute percentage actually originates from them. This is because the sale of fully automatic weapons is monitored and regulated very well. As such, if a significant volume of weapons were going to unaccounted for recipients from a (or many) FFL holders, it would draw the ire of the BATF, FBI, NSA, INS, and an alphabet soup of other federal investigatory bodies. And before anyone goes jumping to conclusions concerning the sale of such weapons at Gun Shows, just remember that unlike drugs, the number of guns necessary to justify the risk of being caught VERY HARD TO CONCEAL!!! Given this fact alone, it would actually make more sense to suggest that our own government were supplying the guns than to assume individual dealers, or even groups of independent dealers were providing the vast numbers of US weapons showing up down there.

    -E
    Reply to this comment
    by nottellin1 June 5, 2009 5:47 PM EDT
    I do beleive that 90% of guns in Mex come from the US, brought to Mexico by returning (good, hard working, lovable) illegal aliens!
    Reply to this comment
    by truthhurtz April 21, 2009 5:28 PM EDT
    This ?90%? statistic being thrown around by Obama, Holder, and the press on both sides of the border is a tortured statistic to say the least. The LA Times did a solid write up on the issue of weapons in Mexico and most of the hardware is obtained from countries other than the U.S.; Guatemala being a huge contributor to the mess. There have been HUGE weapons caches and a narco-training base discovered near the Mexico and Guatemala border.

    While straw purchases in U.S. is a SMALL source of guns it is not the main source of weapons for the Mexican narcos. There are extremely corrupt elements in the Mexican government that are able to legitimately purchase arms on the open market directly from arms manufactures across the globe. (see the links below for the related articles).

    Another half-truth that is tossed around by Mexican politicians, journalists and the media is that ?the expiration of the 'assault weapons' ban in 2004 has caused an increase in the violence in the Mexican narco-war?. This is false since the AW ban went after 2 things; "military style features" like: a flash-hider (with a threaded muzzle crown), collapsible stock, bayonet lug and detachable magazines over 10 rounds. Many manufacturers offered 'featureless' ARs and AKs during the AW ban years that complied with the letter of the AW ban. Hence theses "dreaded weapons" were available from 1994-2004. Also, there were many 20 and 30 round magazines that were manufactured prior to the ban that were grandfathered in under the law.

    The AWB expiration is an easy target for politicians on both sides of the border to point at as the "cause" vs. challenging Mexico's utterly corrupt system and the U.S. illicit drug consumption.

    Despite the protests of Mexican journalists and politicians, Mexico has been a quasi-failed state for decades and the U.S. is a massive consumer of illicit drugs. When the Mexican government is willing and able to curb its culture of corruption and stop consuming the cartel money to stay in power only then will real change happen. The same is true for American consumption of drugs; the war on drugs and eradication efforts have largely failed, it?s time to take a hard look at alternatives, perhaps we need to go as far as legalizing drugs.

    Changing U.S. gun laws in the U.S. is NOT the answer to addressing this complex issue.


    http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-mexico-arms-race15-2009mar15,0,229992.story


    http://narcosphere.narconews.com/notebook/bill-conroy/2009/04/private-sector-arms-sales-mexico-sparsely-monitored-state-department
    Reply to this comment
    by TroubledPatriot April 21, 2009 12:54 PM EDT
    It has been proved that the 90% figure is a complete fabrication. Secondly, the photograph displayed of "captured" weapons revealed hand grenades, launching type 40mm grenades, M203 grenade launchers, etc. These are not available at Wal-Mart, sorry. The problem in Mexico is corruption, the drug dealers have so much money I doubt they are bothering to obtain weapons via the US market, they don't have to, they can bribe their own government for them.
    The news media is completely losing its credibility and
    simply propagating one sided viewpoints. I think we need to open a discussion on abridging First Amendment rights if speech is not based on facts and truth, then we'll discuss amendment the second, let's try that.
    Reply to this comment
    by skoobiedo April 19, 2009 12:02 PM EDT
    It is unfortunate and disingenuous that the media continues to repeat that 90 percent of these guns come from the USA. BATF recently testified that they have no idea where this number came from, but that it represents a complete falsehood with regards to the problem on the border. It was later discovered that the number "90 percent" came from the number of weapons that are traceable. This traceable number represents a very small fraction of the total number of guns. It's propaganda folks! Plain, but not simple.
    Reply to this comment
    by jfwoytek April 19, 2009 11:02 AM EDT
    after listening to the good Gov from Penn this morning it makes me realize that maybe we should limit other of our rights... after the second is merely the second amendment why don't we start with the 1st and limit the media on what they can report because in some of the reports they put evil thoughts in peoples minds. or maybe we should begin to allow soldiers to be quartered in peoples homes like they were by the British over 200 years ago. Or maybe we should just tax everyone at a rate of 100% and give them a monthly allowance to live on because people are unable to think for themselves. most of the people that read this will see it for what it is and that is a sarcastic way to show the silliness of the argument itself. once we start allowing government to dictate to us what we can and cannot do then more and more of our rights will fall... I served in the military and did serve in combat so I understand the cost of freedom... and the cost is not free, when we fail to fight for any single persons rights then we will soon lose ours as well...
    Reply to this comment
    by dabberdan22 April 18, 2009 10:39 PM EDT
    say NO to the new world order. 90% A. will I have seen the weapons that they "have" and none of those can we buy at any pawn shop (m -16 A1, M203 rounds, M67 hand grenade that are shown on TV)I have been too. the weapons they have are military grade (maybe CIA giving too them, look up "freeway ricky ross") but ant no illegel mexican coming into the USA trying to buy this... obama and drug cartel have 1 thing in comin " don't make marry J legel" (I hear 60 to 80% is from that) its all part of the illuminati trying to control us wake up sheepel.. email me back at dabberdan22@yahoo.com if you wish to know more and wake up
    Reply to this comment
    by ryindy April 18, 2009 4:33 PM EDT
    I know the claim is a myth. You know the claim is a myth. Others that watch News other than CBS knows it's a myth. Yet knowing the claim is a myth doesn't make it a myth unless you have some one to spread the myth.

    Fox News article of April 2, preceeds Bob Schieffer's show of April 12. Schieffer's credibility is going south.

    See the Fox News article : The Myth of 90 Percent: Only a Small Fraction of Guns in Mexico Come From U.S.

    http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2009/04/02/myth-percent-guns-mexico-fraction-number-claimed/
    Reply to this comment
    by johninpennsyl April 16, 2009 8:11 PM EDT
    Google Arturo Sarukhan,his grandfather was a commie.The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
    Why don't Mr.Commie Gun Grabber disarm the Mexicans?
    Reply to this comment
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