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<<<<< Forwarded message
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Professor Joseph Olson Hamline University School of Law tel. (651) 523-2142 St. Paul, Minnesota 55104-1284 fax. (651) 523-2236 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>>>>>> [snip] Made-in-USA Guns Widely Available in Mexico
Houston Chronicle 10/29/2003
Despite efforts by Mexican and U.S. authorities to curb illegal arms, there
continues to be a flood of guns imported from the United States into
Mexico.
According to the latest report on crime trends by the United Nations,
Mexico had 3,589 shooting deaths in 2000, placing the country fifth on the
worldwide list for gun deaths per capita.
Authorities said that those who smuggle guns into Mexico are generally the
same people who smuggle drugs out of the country. "It's like any business.
Drug smugglers make a trip one way and don't want to come back empty-handed,"
said J.J. Ballesteros, an attache in Mexico for the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Ballesteros said efforts to curb gun smuggling are challenged by numerous
factors. For instance, the weapons are generally moved in small quantities,
often by people who cross the border daily.
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