Operation “Gun Runner”

By CBPO Jon A. Underwood, CBP, (Ret.)

 

So, it seems that we are having a little trouble, once again, (it’s an old story) with the government being transparent in their dealings.

 

A plan much vaunted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATF&E) to “track” weapons purchases going to Mexico to document once and for all thousands of American weapons, allegedly, being used by the drug cartels. How was BATF&E going to track these weapons?

 

Were these weapons treated with some chemical that could be seen? NO!

 

Were they modified to hide an electronic tracker, like those placed in pets, so a satellite could see them from above? No!

 

Were the firing pins modified so the weapons could not be fired? NO!

 

If they were able to track these weapons, what were they going to do with that information? Were they going to pass it along to corrupt Mexican law Enforcement so they could let the cartels know? Were they going to send in “American operators” to deal with them on the ground? Were they going to deal with them through a predator strike? What?

 

So just to cap off what has been done so far, once the weapons were purchased by criminal “straw purchasers” (someone buying for someone else who can’t do so legally) from dealers in the United States, (with and without their “cooperation”) fully operable weapons with no modifications or alterations were allowed to be transported into Mexico, through the US/Mexican Border into the hands of Cartel Members?

 

Sounds great! What could go wrong with that?

 

Well, when over 2,500 AK 47’s and up to 75, .50 caliber semi automatic sniper rifles are involved, quite a lot!

 

Now, the leadership of BATF&E are not giving the House investigating committee’s the facts and data they require to see how far this thing goes up the food chain. How far does it go up the Administrations chain of Command? Who was the fool who came up with this idea? Who in the BATF&E thought that letting fully functional weapons loose into a “war zone” on our very own southern border was a smart thing? Who in the BATF&E are making the same mistake President Nixon did during Watergate? Who will take the blame so the Attorney General and the President won’t go to jail? Does the term “High Crimes and misdemeanors” ring a bell?

 

The Department of Justice and the BATF&E better cooperate, because Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) is not going to stop until the truth about this operation and the administrations involvement is fully known.

 

I know BATF&E folks and the ones I have been exposed to give a damn about following the law and I cannot imagine them doing this on a local level. This is some BS operation some dufus cooked up in Washington to get their next promotion, or is it something more nefarious, more ominous?

 

In my opinion, the administration was going to use this data, supplied by “Operation gunrunner” to manipulate the public opinion of the American people regarding their 2^nd Amendment rights. Using it to justify a further restriction of that right, (in violation of the US Constitution) if not an outright ban of gun ownership! This is not a stretch as gun confiscation or restriction is one of the three main democrat goals for American society:

 

    1.   Bigger government (including higher taxes and continued payouts to supporters of the Obama administration)

 

    2.   Universal health care (including free abortion on demand)

 

    3.   Gun confiscation though non-law based regulation or UN declaration

Also, remember that our own Secretary of State, Hillery Clinton, former First Lady, has been working with Mexican authorities to complain to the UN and work in support of a restriction of gun ownership in the US due to UN Declaration. No doubt that that is involved as well! Gun ownership is a right, as valid as free speech, religion and the freedom from self incrimination! Gun ownership will not be a right that the American people, this American included, will give up without a fight!

 

If the Republican Party is not paying attention to this situation, then they are denser than I already think they are!

 

 

JON A. UNDERWOOD

CBPO, (RET.)

YUMA, ARIZONA

Comments

[Stormwarning]

Well it is an old story...been following it here: http://sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com/2011/03/official-correspondence-on-project.html

Also, "treated with a chemical?" OK.

[Euripides]

BATFE - Just another in a long line of corrupt government bureaucracies. I cannot imagine the idiot who thought up this one and labeled it "a good idea."

[R.J. Godlewski]

The alleged American guns moving into Mexico exceed the number potentially produced by U.S. firearms manufacturers.

This alone shoots holes into the government data.

[Stormwarning]

The types of weapons being seized are generally those that you can't just buy at a gun show or in a shop. You need a fed. license. Of course, all of that also tends to ignore the flow of weapons to Mexico from its South.

[Stormwarning]

BTW, the chips implanted in dogs cannot be seen from space.

[R.J. Godlewski]

There's no federal license required to purchase any firearm. For machine guns produced prior to the 1986 law, you need to pay for a federal transfer tax (amounting to the neighborhood of $500 or so).

Machine guns in the U.S. cost about $20K because of this 'rarity' and so most people who own machine guns do not normally sell them. That and that it takes about three months to process the necessary paperwork.

The .50 cal 'sniper' rifles in question can be bought through any dealer that stocks them, but they are also expensive (upwards of $10K for the Barretts).

On an episode of Border Wars, the feds apprehended a van carrying about a dozen semi-auto AK-47s. These can be bought from anyone for about $400. I own several, except that my folders are registered in MI as pistols.

The problem with the government statistics is that only those guns actually manufactured within the U.S. can be traced and, thus far, only about 90% of those are being tracked.

[Z]

Debbie, this is an excellent piece and frightening as all get-out.
As for Republicans...why would they start being savvy and acting on anything NOW?
THank goodness for CALIFORNIA'S (had to get in the plug after all the bad rap we get) Issa is doing something. But...that'll fade away, too, for lack of media coverage, you know that.
They have one hearing on really important things and then the subject seems to disappear.
I'm afraid it's going to take the American public to do something and...where ARE THEY?

[David (DW)]

@Z - They're asleep. Still. Just as they were when they voted for Zero. They prefer to be lulled into ignorance and complacency so they are not troubled by naked reality.

[Stormwarning]

RJ, there is a difference btwn semi-automatics and full automatics. And also BTW, many people also know the situation as "Operation Gunwalker."

http://tinyurl.com/42entsa

http://tinyurl.com/3wczbm4

Regardless, it is a massive screw up and that 90% 'factoid' has been bandied about so much over the last 2 years (it is 90% of those seized and sent back to the US).

[R.J. Godlewski]

SW,

Yes, I am aware of that. I was merely stating that there is no federal license required to own a full-auto weapon -- providing that it was manufactured prior to 1986.

These firearms are owned and transferred much like automobiles. The government takes their bribe, er, fee, and the weapon is transferred between owners via a Class III firearms dealer.

Here is a representative list of available full-auto firearms that anyone can purchase providing that they have the money and live in a state that does not prohibit machine gun ownership:

http://www.autoweapons.com/products/products.html

My point was that there are not enough full-auto weapons available within the U.S. to trigger the concerns of those lambasting the Second Amendment. In fact, I bet there are only a few full-auto AK-47s around the country that can be purchased and those do not last very long on the market because collectors want them.

The problem in Mexico comes from outside North America and involves import/export violations that corruption brings.

For example, I am not personally aware of ANY full-auto AK-47s available to collectors in the U.S. However, if you wanted them and could arrange the importation (to a third country), I could provide you with 5,000 AK-47s for about $400/ea., which is less than what the semi-auto weapons cost here. ;o)

R.J.

[Stormwarning]

RJ (I too know the difference btwn full and semi auto), but my point was that an FFL class 3 is, as I understand it, needed to buy/sell full automatics. I've seen some of the pictures of weapons seized (and my sources told me that "you can't buy them here").

The problem with this argument has been periodic publication of pictures displaying some of the weapons taken in various raids. Knowledgeable observers commented then and now that many of the weapons such as M26A2 fragmentation grenades, M16, U.S. military-issued ammunition — are not even sold in gun shows or gun shops. So from whence have they been purchased?

Further, it is very interesting to read this report: http://tinyurl.com/3uhxk26

Doesn't really matter. The Administration wants to blame us Texans when there is transport of weapons from S. American sources from the southern Mexican border.

[R.J. Godlewski]

SW,

A Class III FFL is required to transfer the firearms, much like you require a dealer to purchase a new automobile.

Most of what is being intercepted en route to Mexico from the U.S. remains semi-auto firearms, which can be converted illegally. But why bother? Any semi-auto can be bump fired into full-auto-like operation.

The main weapons used in Mexico are coming in via the southern route courtesy of Chavez, the FARC, etc.

[JON A. UNDERWOOD]

RJ,

Clearly, the media, dominated by democrat and even more liberal owners want everyone to think that any rifle that has the visual of a Avtomat Kalashnikova 47, or any other "military styled" weapon" is an automatic weapon. In the vast number, THEY ARE NOT SELECT FIRE WEAPONRY.

The media wants the normal American to think that every weapon that is covered in the liberal news is an automatic weapon, shootings hundreds of rounds killing hundreds or little children at a time AND are being weilded by right wing TEA party or Veterans back from President Bush's "Unjust" war! The truth is the first thing that dies in this type of battle for the public opinion of the uneducated American public!

Of course, in Mexico or anywhere else for that matter, modifying semi automatic weapons into select fire weapons does not take a lot to deal with that situation. But, Based upon my information, the mass amount of weapons are select fire weapons from further south, and are delivered via various means, sometimes escorted by Mexican Army or Police, into the areas controlled by the various cartels. Pilfered weapons from Mexican military armory's are obviously in play as well. Also, as in the case of the Zeta's, when you depart the Mexican military overnight with all your weapons and communications gear, it seems so much easier!

As a holder of various Federal licenses, I know that any weapon that is purchased legally, can also end up in Mexico for use by the Cartels and any other criminal. The dealer has to make a decision to sell or not to sell. I and any other dealer can say "no sale" if I have an inner voice that tells me not to sell.

My information is that the legal weapons associated with OP Gunrunner were purchased through legal gun dealers with cooperation that can only be described as..."Forced coercion"!

The entire situation would not have happened if the Mexican government had not allowed these criminals to take over their land, corrupt their police and judiciary and modify the Mexican society with the glorification of drug dealers!

Of course, the US is doing the same thing in not securing the border, allowing large areas in southern Arizona to be a free range for human and narcotic traffickers, and our courts are preventing the Arizona government from doing what the Federal Government refuses to do!

Obama has been repeatedly invited to the Arizona border and has refused to do so because the democrats want as many people as possible paying union dues and getting registered to vote through motor-voter bills in the majority of states. The republicans are not guiltless in not securing the border either!

We are in more danger along the southern border than anyone wants to admit.

Op gunrunner is an example of what happens when some dufus in Washington is trying to score democrat political points with our rights and very lives!

Jon

[R.J. Godlewski]

Jon,

As long as our Sec of HS says that the borders are safer than they've ever been, nothing will happen.

We have the same problem up here in Detroit and along the Great Lakes. Absolutely NO border security.

Even the Strategic Studies Institute is publishing monographs on the situation south of the border condemning our Second Amendment as THE reason for Mexico's ills.

I would hazard a guess and say that if Mexicans could legally own firearms, they would not have the problems they have today with the cartels and corrupt politicians.

The guns in Mexico are coming through the East, West, and South. The miniscule portion coming in from the North merely provides the progressives with fodder to effect their agenda.

R.J.

[JON A. UNDERWOOD]

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