Largest weapons cache in years seized in Laredo

AP via Houston Chronicle ^ | June 2, 2010, 2:20PM | CHRISTOPHER SHERMAN

[a fool in paradise]

Laredo police say they made one of their largest weapons seizures in years after pulling over a truck laden with brand new assault rifles, bayonets and ammunition that they believe was headed to Mexico.

The seizure Saturday afternoon came less then two weeks after Mexican President Felipe Calderon asked Congress to help stem the flow of guns from the U.S. into Mexico.

Acting on a tip from the Webb County Sheriff's Office, Laredo police stopped a vehicle containing 175 brand-new, boxed assault rifles, 200 high-capacity magazines, 53 bayonets and 10,000 rounds of ammunition. One of the two men in the vehicle tried to flee, but was apprehended, said Laredo Police Investigator Joe Baeza...

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the seizure, but Baeza said the presumption is the vehicle was heading to Mexico.

"Two Joe Blows aren't going to buy a bunch of weapons and it stops there," Baeza said. "We're pretty positive it was headed to Mexico." He declined to release the names of the two men in custody...

Baeza said the seizure hit home in the context of Calderon's recent visit to Washington, during which he suggested the U.S. reinstate its ban on the sale of assault rifles.

Mexico has long complained that its violent drug war was fueled in large part by weapons smuggled across the border...

"I fully respect, I admire the American Constitution and I understand that the purpose of the Second Amendment is to guarantee good American citizens the ability to defend themselves and their nation," Calderon said to a joint session of Congress during his May visit. "But believe me, many of these guns are not going to honest American hands."...

[McGavin999]

I see, American guns are doing the job the Mexican military “won’t” do. LOL

[Eagles6]

Vast majority of weapons seized in mexico have no serial numbers so they can't be traced. I'd venture to guess that many, if not most, come from chavez by way of columbian cartels. Also many full autos, grenades and rocket launchers come from the mexican military.

I'd like to know how many of those traced to the US were actually military weapons produced in the US and sold or given to the mexican military.

[PilotDave]

“American citizens cannot own brand-new full-auto rifles, so I doubt they’re of American manufacture.”

Americans can and do own and manufacture automatic weapons, silencers, cannons, ect. Sometimes you need a license, sometimes not.

[Ronaldus Magnus]

This is too long of an article for the suspects not to be named. I would wager that they were in the U.S. illegal and purchased the firearms with fake identification.

[IYAS9YAS]

I call B.S.

Ping to you Travis. Sounds like one of your story lines.

[count-your-change]

Probably a gun show purchase.

[capydick]

"Two Joe Blows aren't going to buy a bunch of weapons and it stops there,"

Will be interesting to note if they turn out to be illegal Jose Blows

[Repeal The 17th]

Such an empty story with so few details.

[a fool in paradise]

Brokeback Mountain was movie about two Joe Blows.

[El Gato]

If these are *real* assault rifles, and not just semi-auto clones of them, I for one would like to know where they are coming from. And where they were going to. It’s about as likely they were headed to US destinations, since no one could buy them legally here anyway. Not since the 1986 Firearms Owners Protection Act. (It was a good bill, right up until some hoplophobe added a poorly worded amendment, literally at the last minute).

[Domangart]

He doesn’t have to. He already has them listed as issued to his government.

[Hillbillary]

I am now so skeptical that this does not pass the smell test.

There are no facts at all in the article. Only opinions. Not even what direction the vehicle was traveling in.

[The Comedian]

And as soon as these are proven to be South American AK-47s brought in from Venezuela, the story will vanish...

Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.

[El Gato]

Americans can and do own and manufacture automatic weapons, silencers, cannons, ect.

Not automatic weapons made since 1986. I sort of doubt these were that old. Or that expensive either. I'll bet they did not say "Colt" or "FNC" either. Maybe Chinese clones. But the question remains, were they headed to Mexico, or from Mexico to the Drug gangs US based branches?

[El Gato]

I would wager that they were in the U.S. illegal and purchased the firearms with fake identification.

Only if they were semi-automatics. You can't buy full autos made since 1986, due to the Firearms Owners Protection Act, which banned newly made machine guns for private ownership.

[a fool in paradise]

Or on their way to domestic jihad camps?

[Sudetenland]

Alright you! Stop interjecting logic into this strawman argument.:)

Remember the first law of liberalism, what's good for the goose isn't necessarily good for the gander.

[El Gato]

And as soon as these are proven to be South American AK-47s brought in from Venezuela, the story will vanish...

They could be Chinese, Iranian, or Singapore (among others) made clones of M-16s. But the AK's would be a better choice for illiterate peons that the drug gangs use as muscle (for the most part). The AK was designed for Illiterate peansants. Russian ones to be sure.

[mad_as_he$$]

and slightly more than one mag per gun??? Yea right.

[El Gato]

Or on their way to domestic jihad camps?

Another good possibility.

I have very baad feeling about all this. I'm not that far from the border, and will be considerably closer come January.. I think. Of course it's the Texas portion of the border. They have to get through the Tejano belt before they get to where I'm at now. Some of the Tejanos are not all that fond of, to quote one, "Those dammed Mexicans". She really shocked me when she said that, since she's darker and more "Indio" appearing than most Mexican citizens. But she doesn't mince words. :)