Posted on 05/20/2011 11:14:22 AM PDT by neverdem
CBS News has learned that the DEA has confiscated a stash of assault rifles connected to ATF's Fast and Furious operation. It's a major seizure of weapons in the controversial ATF case that's the subject of at least two investigations. Sources say it's believed the suspects intended to take the guns to Mexico.
Sources say DEA accidentally came upon the guns while stopping suspects in an unrelated case in the Phoenix area on April 13th. When agents stopped at least two suspects, they found two giant garbage cans full of dozens of AK-47 type weapons wrapped in cellophane. Sources tell CBS News that a trace on the first weapon showed it was purchased in Nov. 2009 by a suspect in ATF's Fast and Furious case.
Gunrunning scandal uncovered at the ATF
Insiders allege that ATF allowed more than 2,500 weapons purchased by suspects to "walk," or hit the streets. The current seizure underscores the fact that most of those weapons are still on the street and unaccounted for.
At least two suspects were arrested in the April 13 DEA gun bust. Since then, sources say ATF and DEA have been in a tug of war over who should hold the weapons. The DEA is said to want to keep the weapons (and its own case) separate from ATF controversy. Today, the Dept. of Justice, which oversees DEA and ATF, provided no immediate comment or information.
Major ATF shakeup after "gunwalker"
Court documents indicate ATF Fast and Furious suspects purchased at least 52 AK-47's in November of 2009 (see chart below), and bought hundreds more weapons between Sept. 2009 and Dec. 2010. It's unknown how many times the weapons have changed hands between the time they were purchased, and last month's DEA seizure.
Sources indicate the owner of the Lone Wolf Trading Company and other gun shops were cooperating with ATF by repeatedly selling weapons to suspects. Some ATF agents and gun shop owners involved objected to the controversial strategy; worried that the "walked" guns would be used to kill innocent people. Supporters hoped it would eventually help ATF gain intelligence to take down a Mexican cartel.
ATF quickly rounded up Fast and Furious suspects after two guns they allegedly let "walk" showed up at the murder scene of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry last December.
Alleged Nov. 2009 purchases by suspects from the Lone Wolf Trading Company in ATF Fast and Furious case (source: U.S. District Court of Arizona Indictment Jan. 19, 2011)
Nov. 3: Suspect Joshua David Moore purchased 2 AK-47 type rifles
Nov. 10: Suspect Moore purchased 5 AK-47 type rifles
Nov. 12: Suspect Moore purchased 3 AK-47 type rifles and suspect Alfredo Celis purchased 10 AK-47 type rifles
Nov. 17: Jose Angel Polanco purchased 1 AK-47 type rifle and other weapons
Nov. 24: Suspect Jaime Avila purchased firearms and Suspect Uriel Patino purchased 5 AK-47 type rifles
Nov. 25: Suspect Dejan Hercegovac acquired 26 AK-47 type rifles, and delivered them to suspect Manueal Fabian Celis-Acosta, and an auto shop in Phoenix
From Espresso Pundit on the reassigning of the “heads” of ATF (Arizona) A good read IMHO
Sharyl Atkisson, who was described by Laura Ingraham as the one and only person who treated her decently during her time there.
Wonder if the ‘reimagining’ of the Fourth Amendment has any tie ins to this crap?
Let me guess the serial numbers have been obliterated but they were able to get partial numbers that matched.
Cellophane seems like a strange choice for wrapping the ‘AK-47 type guns’ (whatever that means).
It makes you wonder if the ATF particularly cared where the guns ended up or whom they killed.
Was the purpose of ATF’s Fast and Furious operation just to dumb up business?
Yep they needed a reason to reinstate the assault weapons ban and then go further.
Yep they needed a reason to reinstate the assault weapons ban and then go further.
The "War on Drugs" would be much more accurately stated as the "War on the Bill of Rights"... especially now that the Indiana Supreme Court says you have no right to resist an unlawful LEO/official entry... and if they don't leave that is functionally equivalent to quartering troops. (Goodbye 3rd Amendment!)
Depressing. (But accurate.)
Supporters hoped it would eventually help ATF gain intelligence to take down a Mexican cartel.
I guess the Moonshine,Cigarettes and Fire-sticks bureaucracy has been short of intelligence as of late.
I was simply pointing out that there are still patriots around, even in LE.
no friggin way the BATFags should ever be allowed to get anywhere NEAR those weapons!!!
I would imagine that it was industrial stretch wrap film. What they use to wrap items up on pallets for shipping instead of binding bands of steel or nylon.
They seem to be looking for an excuse to gut (further) the 2nd amendment. Remember in 2009 LINK: GAO Ties U.S. Guns to Mexico Violence? Guns from criminal sellers or from the ATF? Sometimes it's hard to see the difference.
Bombed Libya
Got Donald Do Do to part hairs over a BC
Release "a" BC
Kill OBL. No questions axed!
Unfortunately for Eric Holder and his Peeps, they will soon be Perps!
5.56mm
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