Feds Bust Drug Cartel Gun Smuggle Ring in Ariz.

[El Supremo]

Source: CBSNEWS / AP

20 Indicted for Allegedly Smuggling More Than 700 Guns into Mexico for Sinaloa Cartel

(CBS/AP) PHOENIX - A grand jury has indicted 20 people on firearms charges for allegedly participating in a ring that bought more than 700 guns that were to be smuggled into Mexico for use by a drug cartel.

Dennis Burke, the U.S. attorney for Arizona, says the ring is believed to have supplied the Sinaloa cartel with guns.

Authorities say some of the weapons were used in shootings in Mexico's drug war.


(snip)

According to MSNBC, officials said the alleged "straw buyers" had no trouble buying the guns and passing federal background checks despite buying multiple firearms and spending large amounts of cash. In one case, seven people spent $104,251 in cash at several Phoenix-area dealers to purchase 140 firearms, according to officials.


Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/01/25/national/main7282661.shtml?tag=cbsnewsSectionContent.2