ATF: Mexican cartels paid to inform for FBI, DEA

[friendly_iconoclast]

Note: Thanks to DUer SSDA, who originally posted this here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=118x434729#435377


http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/07/09/2440172/atf-mexican-cartels-paid-to-inform.html

ATF: Mexican cartels paid to inform for FBI, DEA
By Richard A. Serrano
Tribune Newspapers
Posted: Saturday, Jul. 09, 2011


WASHINGTON The embattled head of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has told congressional investigators that some Mexican drug cartel figures targeted by his agency in a gun-trafficking investigation were paid informants for the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration.

Kenneth Melson, the ATF's acting director, has been under pressure to resign after the agency allowed guns to be purchased in the U.S. in hopes they would be traced to cartel leaders....

....In two days of meetings with congressional investigators over the weekend, Melson said the FBI and DEA kept the ATF "in the dark" about their relationships with the cartel informants. If ATF agents had known of the relationships, the agency might have ended the investigation earlier, he said.

As a result of Melson's statements, "our investigation has clearly expanded," a source close to the congressional investigation said this week, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the inquiry is ongoing. "We know now it was not something limited to just a small group of ATF agents in Arizona."....

Shades of Whitey Bulger....

[spin]

1. So taxpayer dollars might have financed the purchase of these weapons ...

What a waste.

"The evidence we have gathered raises the disturbing possibility that the Justice Department not only allowed criminals to smuggle weapons but that taxpayer dollars from other agencies may have financed those engaging in such activities," Issa and Grassley said in their letter to Holder.

Read more: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/07/09/2440172/atf-mexican-cartels-paid-to-inform.html#ixzz1RpFT1gIr

[SSDA]

2. Heads should roll

Heads should roll over this.

[spin]

4. Welcome to DU. I agree and it doesn't matter which side of the gun control issue ...

you are on.

There is absolutely no excuse for the government to allow as many as 3000 weapons to be allowed to be bought by straw purchasers to deliver to criminals. While the government was attempting to track gun smuggling into Mexico and into Honduras as part of the sister program “Operation Castaway“, some of these weapons will end up on American streets.

How many innocent people in several different nations will be shot or killed by these weapons?

[SSDA]

5. ATF now putting in new gun rules!

Check out the AP. ATF putting in new rules!

WTF.

[spin]

6. Interesting ...

this might cause a lot of anger among gun owners. I don't think it will accomplish much as the smugglers will just go a state not on the list.

Of course, when it fails it will be extended to all states and when that fails it will apply to the sale of just one semi-auto rifle. That will give the ATF an enormous amount of paperwork to process.

Jul 11, 5:33 PM EDT

ATF to require gun buyer information on border

By PETE YOST
Associated Press
AP Photo
AP Photo/Ted S. Warren


WASHINGTON (AP) -- In an effort to stem the illicit flow of weapons into Mexico, the Justice Department announced Monday that all gun shops in four Southwest border states will be required to alert the federal government to frequent buyers of high-powered rifles.

The new policy comes amid criticism of a flawed federal probe aimed at dismantling large-scale arms trafficking networks along the Arizona border with Mexico.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GUNS_SOUTHWEST_BORDER?SITE=WHIZ&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[SSDA]

7. Cya

Looks like massive cya to me.

[SteveM]

3. Not to duplicate, but apparently Tampa's ATF is "running" to Honduras. nt