In an effort to combat the escalating issue of arms trafficking and its impact on organized crime, Mexico and the United States have joined forces to implement an electronic tracking system for firearms confiscated from criminal organizations.
The focal point of the agreement revolves around the electronic tracking system for firearms seized within Mexico that are suspected to have originated from criminal syndicates. (Photo: Quartz
Electronic Tracking System for Firearms
According to the U.S. News, this collaborative move to implement an electronic tracking system for firearms confiscated from criminal organizations was announced by Mexican Security Minister Rosa Icela Rodriguez during a press conference held in Mexico City on Wednesday.
The focal point of the agreement revolves around the electronic tracking system for firearms seized within Mexico that are suspected to have originated from criminal syndicates.
This new system aims to provide improved oversight and transparency in tracking the flow of weapons and to gather crucial data to devise effective strategies for seizing and containing the proliferation of illicit firearms.
As the illegal trafficking of firearms has been linked to the activities of Mexican drug cartels, this initiative of an electronic tracking system for firearms seeks to disrupt their operations and weaken their influence.
At the press conference, incoming foreign minister Alicia Barcena emphasized the importance of cooperation between the two nations, particularly in light of the flow of firearms from the United States to Mexican cartels.
Details of the tracking plan’s scope were not immediately disclosed by either official, but the focus is expected to be on identifying the sources of firearms and their distribution networks.
Understanding the locations where these weapons are commonly found will enable authorities to better formulate targeted strategies for their seizure.
To combat this influx, one of Mexico’s key proposals to the United States is the revocation of licenses for gun stores found to be selling firearms to cartels.
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Feedback on Electronic Tracking System for Firearms
According to Reuters, implementing an electronic tracking system for firearms confiscated from criminal organizations, coupled with increased oversight of license providers, more seizures, and targeted arrests, aims to disrupt the supply chain and dismantle the networks supporting arms trafficking.
The proposals put forth by Mexico have received positive feedback and support from their American counterparts, signaling a promising start to the collaborative efforts between the two nations.
This electronic tracking system for firearms initiative comes on the heels of Mexico’s appeal to a U.S. appeals court, urging the revival of a $10 billion lawsuit, backed by several Caribbean countries, against U.S. gun manufacturers.
The lawsuit aims to hold these manufacturers accountable for their alleged facilitation of arms trafficking to drug cartels operating across the U.S.-Mexico border.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), an overwhelming majority of firearms used in crimes and seized in Mexico—approximately 70%—are traced back to the United States.
This figure rises to approximately 80% when considering firearms traced in the Caribbean region.
By implementing a robust and coordinated electronic tracking system for firearms, Mexico and the United States hope to curb the illegal flow of weapons and disrupt the activities of criminal organizations.
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