Monday, February 21, 2011

9 Arrested in alleged U.S.-Mexico arms ring


PHOENIX — Police arrested nine people and seized 300 firearms, including assault rifles, in a raidtargeting an arms ring that allegedly sold weapons to Mexican drug traffickers, authorities said on Thursday.
The sweep came after a federal grand jury unsealed indictments against 17 defendants allegedly involved in shipping to Mexico firearms bought by third-party “straw purchasers” in the United States.
As union supporters stage a sixth day of protests at the Wisconsin Capitol, the Republican governor reiterates that he won’t compromise on a bill that would eliminate most of public employees’ collective bargaining rights. The nine were arrested earlier this week by agents from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Another seven defendants in the case were previously charged and are awaiting trial, and another defendant has been served a summons in the case.
The United States is under pressure to curb the illicit southbound trade in high-powered weapons to Mexico, where more than 34,000 people have died in drug violence since President Felipe Calderon took office in 2006 and pledged to break the powerful cartels.
Arizona straddles a lucrative and heavily trafficked smuggling corridor. Organized criminal networkshaul drugs and illegal immigrants north, and spirit guns and cash profits south to Mexico.

No comments:

Post a Comment