In an effort to reduce the illegal flow of weapons and subsequent increase in murders, Mexico has recently filed a lawsuit against five U.S.-based gun dealers located in Arizona. According to Foreign Relations Secretary Marcelo Ebrard, these gun shops have made firearms easily accessible to “straw” buyers who then smuggle them into Mexico. As a result, 60% of all weapons seized in Mexico are traced back to just 10 U.S. counties along the border between both countries.
This is not the first time that Mexico has taken legal action against gun dealers in the United States. Last year, a $10 billion lawsuit was filed by Mexican authorities against several U.S-based gun manufacturers but it was eventually dismissed by a federal court due to insufficient evidence. Now however, this new suit aims specifically at five dealers that have been determined as major suppliers of guns and ammunition into the country and are held responsible for contributing to the illicit flow of arms across borders that result in thousands of deaths each year.
The Mexican government has long argued that much of the violence on their side of the border is linked directly to black market weapons acquired from the United States and has called on Washington for tougher regulations on gun sales and tighter control over firearms trafficking into Mexico. Although local laws exist prohibiting buying guns from unlicensed dealers or selling guns without background checks, evidence shows that such laws are widely circumvented and illegal weapons continue to be smuggled across borders at alarming rates every year.
Aside from attempting to take legal action against those responsible for smuggling guns into Mexico, various measures have been put in place with hopes of reducing crime including raising awareness about proper firearm storage techniques among legal owners, increasing border security personnel and resources, improving tracking technology for smuggled firearms, as well as investing more heavily in intelligence gathering operations to identify sources within the United States who may be supplying these illegal weapons shipments destined for Mexico.
Given recent events such as mass shootings around America which have reignited national conversations surrounding stricter regulations on gun sales and possession – this case could serve as an example for other nations hoping to take similar steps toward controlling access to illegal arms across their own borders. It remains yet unclear what consequences will come out of this lawsuit but it does suggest a continuous commitment by Mexican authorities towards reducing firearm-related violence and criminal activity within its own country – something that can only be achieved through international collaboration with governments like those in the United States willing to contribute towards genuine solutions
