| Pages:
1
2 |
CaboRon
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3401
Registered: 3-24-2007
Location: The Valley of the Moon
Member Is Offline
Mood: Peacefull
|
|
OMG - Anti-aircraft Weapons ?
Mexican detained with anti-aircraft machine gun
AP MEXICO CITY —
Mexican authorities arrested a woman guarding an arsenal that included the first anti-aircraft machine gun seized in Mexico, police said Tuesday,
as the army announced the capture of an alleged top drug cartel lieutenant.
The arsenal belonged to a group linked to the powerful Beltran-Leyva drug cartel, federal police coordinator Gen. Rodolfo Cruz said. It also
included ammunition, five rifles, a grenade and part of a grenade launcher.
Mexican drug cartels, battling a fierce crackdown by soldiers and federal police, have increasingly gotten hold of higher-powered weapons, even
military-grade arms such as grenades and machine guns.
That has left police – particularly state and municipal forces – grossly outgunned, and many officers have quit following attacks.
Cruz said the confiscated .50-caliber, anti-aircraft machine gun can fire 800 rounds per minute and is capable of penetrating armor from more
than 5,000 feet (1,500 meters).
Police on a routine patrol Monday found the gun fitted atop an SUV at a house in northern Sonora state.
Authorities did not release any other details about the gun, including its make, where it was manufactured, or where it was sold.
The arrested suspect, Anahi Beltran Cabrera, apparently is not related to the Beltran-Leyva clan, Cruz said.
The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has traced many guns seized at scenes of drug violence in Mexico to U.S. commercial
sources. But determining the source of military-grade weapons such as grenades and fully automatic machine guns is more complicated.
The ATF says the grenades are mostly smuggled in through Central America, and have been traced back to the militaries of many countries, from
South Korea to Spain and Israel. Some may be leftovers from the Central American civil wars.
Assailants have fired on government aircraft performing anti-drug missions in Mexico in the past, but apparently never with the caliber of weapon
found Monday.
In 2006, a helicopter on a federal drug-eradication mission crashed while trying to escape ground fire, and a second helicopter was damaged by
gunfire in the Pacific coast state of Guerrero.
Mexico is upgrading its northern and southern border checkpoints in an effort to detect and seize more guns and other contraband, installing
equipment that will weigh and photograph each car and truck coming into the country.
President Barack Obama has promised to do more to stop gun trafficking from the United States to Mexico. He has pledged to dispatch nearly 500
more federal agents to the border, along with X-ray machines and drug-sniffing dogs.
Also Tuesday, the Mexican army announced the capture of Ruben Granados Vargas, an alleged lieutenant for the Beltran-Leyva drug cartel in the
Pacific coast state of Guerrero.
Gen. Luis Arturo Oliver said soldiers caught Granados Vargas and two other suspects with four rifles and 2.6 pounds (1.2 kilograms) of opium on
Monday.
Granados Vargas allegedly ran the cartel's drug planting, harvesting and trafficking operations on the coast west of the resort of Acapulco.
He is implicated in a number of kidnappings and killings in the region, including attacks as part of a turf war with an alleged Sinaloa cartel
rival that left 17 people dead last year, organized crime prosecutor Marisela Morales said.
Granados Vargas' wife, sister-in-law and two sons were later killed in retaliation, prosecutors.
Mexico's drug violence has claimed more than 10,650 lives since President Felipe Calderon launched a military-led offensive against trafficking
cartels in December 2006.
In March, the government sent thousands more troops to the northern border to quell escalating violence. The government announced Sunday that
drug-related homicides fell 26 percent across the country in the first three months of the year, compared to the same period in 2008.
–––
Associated Press writer Mark Stevenson
[Edited on 4-15-2009 by CaboRon]
 |
|
|
Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6346
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
Member Is Offline
Mood: TEQUILA!
|
|
Muchas Gracias, Ron. Had no idea the cartels could get their mittens on a 50 Cal. My son (in Iraq) has fired a 50 cal. many times and each time he is
amazed at the damage it will do.
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
|
|
|
bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
Member Is Offline
Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
|
|
It would be interesting to trace the serial number for the history of this weapon. Wonder if that information will ever be provided?
|
|
|
MrBillM
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 21656
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Out and About
Member Is Offline
Mood: It's a Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah Day
|
|
Terminology
That's now known as a .50 Caliber Kinetic Force Instrument.
Bet that didn't come from a Swap Meet.
|
|
|
Bwana_John
Nomad
Posts: 289
Registered: 10-17-2007
Member Is Offline
|
|
The pics I saw show a single shot .50 cal rifle a belt of .50 BMG draped over it, NOT Ma Duce (M2 Browning Machine Gun).
Mex gun bust pics
Magic Bee-Bee maby but not the greatest thing for "Anti-Aircraft". 
There is a "Machine Gun" the pic but it is a M1919 .30 cal.
The Model of 1919 Machine Gun would be the weapon of choice if you were trying to shoot down the Red Baron.
Cessnas beware!
[Edited on 4-15-2009 by Bwana_John]
|
|
|
Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
Member Is Offline
|
|
Could be it somehow got re-routed from or on its way to Iraq. There's been a few stories lately about people serving over there who have been shipping
boxes of cash back home, or departing with suitcases full of it. Overcome by temptation, mostly by a lack of auditing oversight. But a weapon like
that one could net someone a huge bonus.
|
|
|
CaboRon
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3401
Registered: 3-24-2007
Location: The Valley of the Moon
Member Is Offline
Mood: Peacefull
|
|
Here is the .50cal .....
Here is a video of it on it's Quad base for anti-aircraft use.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m225CyqeEAs
There are many different set-ups for the Browning .50 cal.
CaboRon
|
|
|
Bajajack
Banned
Posts: 370
Registered: 5-20-2007
Location: Arizona
Member Is Offline
|
|
Mexico is missing a ton of both .50 and .30 Cal Full Autos from their own inventory.
I don't hear anything said about that!
\"take what you can, give nothing back!\"
We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the
American people.\'
Theodore Roosevelt 1907
We can have no \"50-50\" allegiance in this country. Either a man is an American and nothing else, or he is not an American at all.
Theodore Roosevelt
|
|
|
CaboRon
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3401
Registered: 3-24-2007
Location: The Valley of the Moon
Member Is Offline
Mood: Peacefull
|
|
The fire power is pretty incredable ....
Here is a video of the M2 in use against Iraqi insurgants ...
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/yt-ysCzSG6IJ3I/50_cal_vs_iraqi...
[Edited on 4-15-2009 by CaboRon]
|
|
|
Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
Member Is Offline
|
|
Didn't know about the Mexican inventory problem. One thing for sure, that baby won't fit in your carry-on.
|
|
|
vgabndo
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3461
Registered: 12-8-2003
Location: Mt. Shasta, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Checking-off my bucket list.
|
|
Good info Ron, but you're caught up in gopspeak. An insurgent, by definition, can only be fighting against his OWN government. Reagan taught us that
people who fight against invading armies are called freedom fighters.
Undoubtedly, there are people who cannot afford to give the anchor of sanity even the slightest tug. Sam Harris
"The situation is far too dire for pessimism."
Bill Kauth
Carl Sagan said, "We are a way for the cosmos to know itself."
PEACE, LOVE AND FISH TACOS
|
|
|
CaboRon
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3401
Registered: 3-24-2007
Location: The Valley of the Moon
Member Is Offline
Mood: Peacefull
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by vgabndo
Good info Ron, but you're caught up in gopspeak. An insurgent, by definition, can only be fighting against his OWN government. Reagan taught us that
people who fight against invading armies are called freedom fighters. |
?????????????????????????????????????????????????????
|
|
|
Howard
Super Nomad
Posts: 2353
Registered: 11-13-2007
Location: Loreto/Manhattan Beach/Kona
Member Is Offline
Mood: I'd rather regret the things I've done than regret the things I haven't done.
|
|
I really do not want to declare myself a hawk or a dove BUT in my wartime experience using a 50 cal. against personnel was out lawed in the Geneva
Convention. We were told very clearly that this was not to be done and to be used against non-personnel only. Is this no longer so or are we just to
good to follow any rules of engagement that was supposed to "humanize" warfare. Boy, is that an oxymoran if I have ever heard one.
Anyway, if this law still applies I am quite sure with our superior fire power, we can use a more "civilized" weapon.
We don't stop playing because we grow old;
we grow old because we stop playing
George Bernard Shaw
|
|
|
CaboRon
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3401
Registered: 3-24-2007
Location: The Valley of the Moon
Member Is Offline
Mood: Peacefull
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by Howard
I really do not want to declare myself a hawk or a dove BUT in my wartime experience using a 50 cal. against personnel was out lawed in the Geneva
Convention. We were told very clearly that this was not to be done and to be used against non-personnel only. Is this no longer so or are we just to
good to follow any rules of engagement that was supposed to "humanize" warfare. Boy, is that an oxymoran if I have ever heard one.
Anyway, if this law still applies I am quite sure with our superior fire power, we can use a more "civilized" weapon. |
Howard,
You really don't think the Cartels will be following the "Rules of Engagement" do you
CaboRon
|
|
|
MrBillM
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 21656
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Out and About
Member Is Offline
Mood: It's a Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah Day
|
|
Rules of Engagement ?
I'm sure it's just an Educational problem. IF the Drug Cartels were aware that they weren't supposed to shoot PEOPLE with the .50
Cal, they would restrict their use to non-personnel targets.
I'd like to see that "supposed" ban verified. It really doesn't pass the smell test. It's OK to use a Hand Grenade against a person, but not a .50 ?
Speaking of the Browning .50, it's the answer to a trivia question since it has remained in use with the armed forces since it's creation with almost
no changes to the original design.
On this a.m.'s news, there was a discussion regarding the Mexico Drug and Guns problem with Bob Beckel representing the Lefty viewpoint and Babbling
Bob repeated the canard that NINETY-PERCENT of the weapons seized by Mexico come from the United States BUT, he even improved on the
Lie by stating that the "Vast Majority of all those weapons have been purchased AFTER the Assault Weapons Ban was revoked so the answer to the problem
is pretty clear".
I haven't seen any statistical breakdown on the categories of weapons serial numbers turned over to BATF so it's likely that Bob was simply making
that one up.
As the administration's Chief of Staff says "Never waste a crisis".
|
|
|
Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
Member Is Offline
|
|
I do not recall the source, but I did recently hear that same assertion- that the expiration of the assault weapons ban did coincide with the dramatic
increase in the cartels' fire power. Not looking to get into a debate. Just wanted to let you know that Beckel's statement was not new; nor isolated.
|
|
|
MrBillM
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 21656
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Out and About
Member Is Offline
Mood: It's a Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah Day
|
|
Beckel's Belchings
Well, since we now KNOW that the Ninety-Percent figure is false information, we also know that Beckel is either a Liar or poorly-informed. Given
that, the rest of his statement is subject to doubt.
|
|
|
Cypress
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7641
Registered: 3-12-2006
Location: on the bayou
Member Is Offline
Mood: undecided
|
|
beckel? yea, he's just a dim defender.
|
|
|
MrBillM
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 21656
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Out and About
Member Is Offline
Mood: It's a Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah Day
|
|
The WAR !
Just heard an Analyst say that our successful war on the Cartels in Colombia should be the blueprint for fighting them in Mexico and
we should get President Calderon to agree to the same thing in Mexico.
YEAH, I can just see that. I'm sure Mexico would Happily welcome the level of U.S. Military involvement that we saw in Colombia.
|
|
|
bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
Member Is Offline
Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by MrBillM
I haven't seen any statistical breakdown on the categories of weapons serial numbers turned over to BATF so it's likely that Bob was simply making
that one up.
Several weeks ago there was a news article where BATF stated they were only receiving serial numbers on 20% of the weapons seized by Mexican
authorities......makes you wonder about the other 80%
Dang, I hate it when that happens
[Edited on 4-16-2009 by bajaguy] |
|
|
|
| Pages:
1
2 |
![[*]](images/xmbforum/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
