The main arm of the Mexican army has long been the M-16.
Aren't all of those serialized?
Another example of coordination problems occurred this month. Mexican authorities in Reynosa across the border from McAllen, seized the country’s single largest stash of cartel weapons — nearly 300 assault rifles, shoulder-fired grenade launchers and a half million rounds of ammunition.But weeks later, Mexican authorities still have not allowed the ATF access to serial numbers that would help them track down the buyers and traffickers on the U.S. side.
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But in those same two years, according to the Mexican government, 29,000 guns were recovered at crime scenes. In other words, 68 percent of the guns that were recovered were never submitted for tracing.
It's easier just to buy a dispensation from the Federales.
The drug cartels are buying dispensations for full-auto rifles, grenade launchers and explosives?
IIRC, the M-16 is far from being the most common weapon obtained from drug gangs in Mexico.
The drug cartels are buying dispensations for full-auto rifles, grenade launchers and explosives?
They get Federales in 50-cal equipped Hummers to escort coyotes over the border, so why not?