Since 2022, the US has confiscated 19 thousand weapons from the black market heading to Mexico: embassy

From the Editorial

La Jornada Newspaper
Tuesday, December 17, 2024, p. 7

From 2022 to date, United States government security agencies have confiscated more than 19,000 weapons in its territory that were intended to be trafficked to Mexico.

When announcing the accreditation of several ballistics laboratories of entities in Mexico, the US embassy in our country reported that with these actions against weapons, more than 1,900 investigation cases have been opened, and the arrest of 1,500 has been achieved. alleged criminals on charges of arsenal trafficking in the United States.

By combating the illegal transfer of weapons, we are affecting one of the most lucrative businesses of criminal organizations and reducing their ability to cause harm.the diplomatic legation stressed in a statement.

The entities that have participated in the operations are the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Office of Homeland Security Investigation and the Office of Customs and Border Protection.

Washington’s representation in Mexico highlighted that these efforts represent a decisive step to weaken the structures of organized crime, as well as to protect the people of both nations from the violence they generate.

These actions, he stressed, are part of the shared objectives on security issues between Mexico and the United States under the so-called Bicentennial Framework, signed in the administrations of Joe Biden and Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

one of them is protect our people and combat the black arms trade that destabilizes our communities on both sides of the border.

The US embassy indicated that the ballistics laboratories in Campeche, Oaxaca and Hidalgo were certified with the support of the Office of Counternarcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.

This, he added, reinforces the binational commitment to strengthen Mexico’s forensic capabilities in the fight against crime.

Fire equipment tracking

There are now 25 entities in our country and the Attorney General’s Office that have internationally accredited ballistics laboratories and have access to the AFT’s eTrance system for weapons tracking.

Likewise, the diplomatic representation of the White House added, various agencies in their country have trained to date more than 2,900 Mexican public servants in supporting the strengthening of capabilities in ballistics and arms and explosives trafficking. The United States reiterates its commitment to working hand in hand with Mexico as partners and colleagues to guarantee shared security, in order to build a more prosperous and secure region for the well-being of our communities.he remarked.