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BajaNews
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Sophisticated South African Weapons Among Arms Seized from Mexican Gangs
http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=363736&Categor...
By Edna Alcantara
MEXICO CITY – The Mexican army and police have seized 180,000 arms over the past three and a half years from organized-crime gangs, mainly drug
cartels, including sophisticated, deadly weapons manufactured in South Africa, the Defense Department, or Sedena, said.
A 40mm grenade launcher capable of firing up to six grenades in 30 seconds and a disposable projectile launcher are among the South African weapons
seized recently from Mexican drug traffickers, Gen. Antonio Monsivais, head of Sedena’s War Materiel warehouse, said Wednesday.
Most of the confiscated weapons (many brought into the country from the United States) arrive at that warehouse and are later destroyed, Monsivais
said, adding that the cartels are seeking to bolster their arsenals and even get their hands on arms intended for the exclusive use of the military in
different countries.
The gangs obtain many of these weapons in exchange for drugs, he added.
A total of 79,074 firearms seized from organized-crime groups are being kept under close watch at the Sedena warehouse – opened to the press for the
first time on Wednesday – until they are eventually destroyed.
The weapons arrive at this storage facility, located in a military zone of the Mexican capital, after passing through several checkpoints manned by
armed soldiers.
Other weapons being stored at the warehouse include AR-15 and AK-47 assault rifles, different types of grenades – including Israeli-made grenades –
and .50-caliber Barrett rifles capable of penetrating armor and downing helicopters at a distance of two kilometers (1.2 miles).
The Mexican states where the largest number of seizures of these types of weapons has occurred are (in order): Baja California, Michoacan, Chihuahua,
Coahuila, Tamaulipas and the Federal District (Mexico City).
Drug-trafficking gangs and other organized crime groups are known to operate in those jurisdictions, which have been especially hard hit by turf
battles in recent years.
About 28,000 people have died in drug-related violence nationwide since President Felipe Calderon militarized the war on Mexico’s cartels shortly
after taking office in December 2006.
More than 7,000 gangland killings have occurred so far this year in Mexico, Attorney General Arturo Chavez Chavez said last month.
Gen. Monsivais also said authorities have found weapons altered by criminals to increase their potency, such as AR-15 assault rifles that have been
adapted to give them the force of a .50-caliber Barrett.
He said two or three of every 1,000 AR-15 rifles seized were modified, while between 20 and 30 of every 100 AK-47 rifles were altered.
But the general said that despite the type of weapons in the possession of the drug-trafficking gangs, their firepower still does not exceed that of
the Mexican armed forces and police.
The warehouse has a special workshop for destroying seized weapons, only 5 percent of which will be reused for military training or to be displayed in
military or civilian museums.
A small exhibition of high-powered weaponry also was on display at the storage facility, including Barrett rifles, M60 machine guns, pistols and
jewel-incrusted rifles that were once the property of Mexican drug lords.
In destroying the arms, the metal pieces are divided into three parts and are sold as scrap, while the wood pieces are incinerated.
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DENNIS
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As long as South Africa doesn't supply the cartels with VUVUZELAS, everything else is manageable.
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MrBillM
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Now, THAT's certainly reassuring.
"But the general said that despite the type of weapons in the possession of the drug-trafficking gangs, their firepower still does not exceed
that of the Mexican armed forces and police".
Only missing is the word "yet".
I thought all that stuff came from the local U.S. Sporting Goods store.
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Cypress
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Sounds like they "cooked the books" on the guns. Did the same thing on global warming and got caught. Don't hear as much about global warming being
caused by human activity lately.
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Mexicorn
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E-Gads! I'm going to leave the chopper in San Diego next time I head down to the "Splash" to have a beer! The nerve of those pesky drug gangs
bedazzeling their rifles and hand guns in rhinestones!
They should have a law passed addressing their bad taste! 
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bajajazz
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RHINESTONES ON MACHINE GUNS?
And maybe sequins, too? That sounds pretty over-the-top gay to me. Is the drug business part of a secret plot for the gaze to take over the world?
Does the Catholic Church know about this? Or does that kind of knowledge interfere with their money washing business?
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DENNIS
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Decorated weapons, eh. Are these cartel folks?
http://www.everydaynodaysoff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/...
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bajaguy
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Interesting that the article fails to state how many weapons seized/recovered were from the Mexican military.
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MrBillM
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Not Surprising
The whole numbers thing is whatever they think sounds good at the time. That's why they were so happy with throwing around the U.S. 90 percent figure
for so long. Mexico has ALWAYS loved blaming ANYTHING they could on the U.S. I used to read the Mexican papers on a regular basis and once said
that, "If the average tourist read this, they'd stay home".
And, mentioning the weapons taken from the military wouldn't sound good at ANY time.
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bajaguy
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A large number of weapons, explosives and military supplies and equipment are supplied to the Mexican military by the US.....and other foreign
countries.........
It would stand to reason that if military type weapons were seized or recovered they would be from the US or other foreign (South Africa) countries.
A disposable projectile launcher (similar to a LAW or an AT-4) can't be bought at a gun show or the local gun shop.
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k-rico
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gee, great vandenberg, I'm sure everyone appreciates you taking the time to post gore. 
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Bajahowodd
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k-rico- my first impression upon seeing the photo that Ed posted was similar to yours. But, upon reflection, I have to wonder whether we, as a
society, a nation, are served better or worse by a media that sanitizes the brutality around us, be it the awful ravages of the wars that our sons and
daughters are fighting, or the cartel carnage. We've become a society that responds more to visual stimulus than words. Just wondering.
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Bajahowodd
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DENNIS
| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajahowodd
k-rico- my first impression upon seeing the photo that Ed posted was similar to yours. But, upon reflection, I have to wonder whether we, as a
society, a nation, are served better or worse by a media that sanitizes the brutality around us, be it the awful ravages of the wars that our sons and
daughters are fighting, or the cartel carnage. We've become a society that responds more to visual stimulus than words. Just wondering.
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There's a proper time and place for everything. This belongs elsewhere, in my opinion. |
Not going to disagree with you about this not being the place for that photo, Dennis. But seeing it, and the fact that it was from a foreign paper
made me think that perhaps in the greater scheme of things, we, as a nation wouldn't be so willing to tolerate the atrocities people do against
others, if we had a true picture of the results.
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Bajahowodd
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| Quote: | Originally posted by k-rico
It's very weird that some folks think posting photos like that is OK but posting a photo of a beautiful naked woman with a smile on her face is not.
But, similar to something that has always puzzled me, in the US getting paid to have sixx is illegal unless you video it and sell DVDs in stores.
?????????? |
Both of your observations are about the puritanical roots of our country. On the second point, however, getting paid to have sixx, if it's a movie, is
where the 1st amendment free speech clause is invoked. When you make a movie, in the broadest of definitions, it is art, and therefore free speech.
The other thing is just prostitution. Go figure.
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vandenberg
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Okay guys, sorry.
Maybe wasn't the place to put this.
Couldn't believe however to find this in a conservative Dutch paper that I delivered as a kid.
[Edited on 8-23-2010 by vandenberg]
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DENNIS
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Thanks, Ed. It wouldn't have lasted long anyway.
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k-rico
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Thanks for taking it down. There are gory photos like that a lot in Mexican papers. I think people just get used to it. - Which is a huge problem.
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MrBillM
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BUT ?
"...............I think people just get used to it. - Which is a huge problem".
On the other hand, it's argued (by Liberals often) that exposing the public to the Graphic Horrors (of War, Execution, etc ) will make them more
receptive and determined to effect change.
Which is it ?
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JESSE
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Jesus Christ!!! in all of my years in Tijuana, and i know plenty of people who went to the dark side, i have NEVER, EVER, heard anybody buying weapons
from anywhere but the U.S. I am 100% certain because i have seen it with my own eyes, that most guns, do come from the U.S.
Why can't some people simply assume this responsability? why can't they accept this well know FACT.
I am sure some cartels in southern Mexico do get some guns from central america, and some might come from other nations, but the bulk of the weapons
is definately coming from the U.S.
Stop trying to lie about it, stop trying to create an argument where non exists.
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DENNIS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by JESSE
Why can't some people simply assume this responsability? why can't they accept this well know FACT.
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I accept it. I'm willing to say all of the guns came from the US.
The problem is, it's not an issue of US carelessness;..it's a matter of our Constitution. Until that changes, guns will be available. Sad, but true.
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