US reveals arms dealers names

US: The Washington Post revealed Monday the names of the top 12 traders of weapons seized by police in actions against organized crime in Mexico in the last two years.

After a yearlong investigation, the newspaper reported that eight of the main suppliers of arms to Mexico are in Texas, three in Arizona and one in California.

From 2006 to date, US and Mexican authorities have found more than 60,000 weapons used for violence in Mexico and from about 7,500,500 gunsmith’s shops located on the border of both countries.

During the period were identified 185 weapons purchased in the gunsmith’s shop Lone Wolf Trading Company in Glendale (Arizona), 165 at Glick Twins (Texas), 130 at J & G Sales in Prescott (Arizona) and 120 in Denny’s Pawn and Sporting Goods in Mcallen ( Texas).

The newspaper in its online edition said that although the identities of US merchants arms suppliers are confidential by law the US Congress since 2003, names were identified after the investigation. A study by the Project Gunrunner of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), whose work was also hampered by the laws of Congress, found that 23 traders bought more than 335 firearms.

According to the source, under federal law must be reported to the ATF the sale of two or more firearms to the same person, but this is not valid for multiple sales of guns, including shotguns and rifles like the AK-47 .

A Justice Department inspector admitted in a report that the lack of a reporting requirement of multiple sales of guns limits the ability of ATF to stop the flow of illegal weapons into Mexico, said The Washington Post.

According to the newspaper, to examine the flow of weapons from US to Mexico, it reviewed hundreds of court documents, federal reports and interviewed Mexican and U.S. officials and former policemen.

Some 30,000 people died in the last four years in Mexico since the government intensified efforts to combat organized crime and drug trafficking. Washington, Prensa Latina