Thousands Of Rounds Of Ammo Headed To Mexico Seized Inside a Car In Arizona

Law enforcement officers in Arizona seized thousands of rounds of ammunition as an individual was trying to smuggle them into Mexico.

Border Report detailed that the vast majority of the bullets were those used in AK-47-style rifles, which are heavily used by Mexican cartels. The outlet noted that such weapons are banned in Mexico and those found in possession of them can face 10 years in prison or more.

The incident took place in late February, when agents seized 18,000 bullets inside a false compartment in a vehicle.

The topic has dominated the conversation over the past days, especially after the killing of Nemesio Oceguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho” and longtime leader of the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG).

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said earlier this month that if the U.S. wants to see a decrease in drug trafficking, it should stop the flow of weapons across the border.

Sheinbaum made the remarks during a trip to Sinaloa, a state long beleaguered by cartel violence. She visited the region along with other top officials to show support.

“Sinaloa is work, tourism. Let the neighbors and the entire world listen to this. Long live Culiacan and long live Sinaloa. No matter how difficult problems are, we will get ahead if we remain together,” she said.

Elsewhere in the address, Sheinbaum linked ongoing violence with weapons trafficking from the U.S.: “They need to do their part so weapons stop being smuggled from the U.S. and into Mexico,” she said.

A recent report detailed that cartels managing to get a hold of high-caliber ammunition from a plant set up in a facility owned by the U.S. government and manufactures rounds used by the military.

The facility in question is located outside Kansas City and also supplies ammunition to the retail market, where civilians can buy them as well. Such a scenario has allowed criminal organizations to get a hold of the rounds, used by the military to destroy vehicles and light aircraft.

The New York Times and the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists shed light on agreements between the Army and private contractors, which have allowed the rounds to enter retail markets and end up in the hands of cartels.

The outlet noted that since 2012 the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has seized over 40,000 rounds of the ammunition in states bordering Mexico. Those from the facility in Kansas City, called Lake City, accounted for a third of all seizures, more than any other manufacturers.

The outlet had reported last year that cartels are immersed in an arms race and getting as sophisticated as paramilitary groups. The groups are also often using improvised explosive devices, modified drones and heavy weaponry, further increasing their lethality.

Originally published on Latin Times