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Alleged gun smuggling leader arrested in Tucson (weapons going south)
KOB ^ | 4/04/08

Posted on 04/05/2008 2:10:43 AM PDT by Libloather

Alleged gun smuggling leader arrested in Tucson
By: The Associated Press
Updated at: 04/04/2008 02:16:41 PM

PHOENIX (AP) - Arizona authorities have arrested a Tucson man accused of being the leader of a gun smuggling network that supplied a Mexican drug cartel with weapons.

Authorities on Thursday announced the arrest of 23-year-old Victor Manuel Varela Jr., who is accused of supplying the Juarez cartel in Palomas, Mexico with rifles and guns.

Tom Mangan, a spokesman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, says Varela’s network illegally bought the firearms in Arizona, transported them to New Mexico and then took them across the border.

Mangan says the guns were used by members of the Juarez cartel in Palomas in ongoing confrontations with rival drug cartels and with law enforcement authorities.

Varela was arrested Tuesday at a Tucson home.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: arizona; banglist; border; drugcartel; gun; immigration; juarezcartel; manuelvarelajr; mexico; newmexico; nm; palomas; smuggling; tucson; varela
CNN claims 5000 dead cartel members in the last two years. Quagmire?
1 posted on 04/05/2008 2:10:43 AM PDT by Libloather
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To: Libloather

We were not called “The Arsenal of Democracy” for nothing years ago!


2 posted on 04/05/2008 3:47:09 AM PDT by Ruy Dias de Bivar
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To: Libloather

5000 dead cartel in last 2 yrs!!

Good start


3 posted on 04/05/2008 4:32:09 AM PDT by Nailbiter
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