Could you give us the source of your information and tell us what is the most common weapon taken from Mexican drug gangs? That would be helpful to us all since everything I have read says the Mexican gov, the ATF and our own State Dept. have been unwilling or unable to provide that information.
But that assumes the Mexican government, and our own government, really want to trace those weapons. A November 2008 report in the San Antonio Express News, which includes details of the major weapons seizure in Reynosa, Mexico, that same month involving the Zetas, reveals the following: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.
Look at the pricing. The average world price for an AK-47 is around $150. That would have to mean that the supply is virtually unlimited. The AK is one of the most reliable weapons ever made. NOBODY could make a profit transporting weapons from the US and selling them there for that price.
So, why buy an M-16 when you can get an AK that cheap?