On Sunday throughout Mexico, rosca de reyes were made and toys were sold to masses celebrating Three Kings Day. Throughout Mexico is a celebration to mark the 12th and final day of Christmas.
As KVUE reports an item sold that day in Juarez was contraband: real-looking toy guns.
“It’s a toy, but it does look real,” said Alonso as he pulled the trigger and the gun made a rat-a-tat-tat sound. The fake AK-47 is included in a combat toy set. The vendor sold 50 on Sunday.
Mexican law dictates that toy guns must be brightly colored, easy enough to quickly judge that it’s in fact a toy and not a real gun.
What do Mexican gun laws look like?
The reason is fake guns are largely used in real robberies. Via the Associated Press:
According to city officials, about 7,000 seized toy guns were destroyed at the ceremony, where Mexico City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera said at least three of every 10 violent crimes in Mexico City are committed with toy weapons. Mexico City authorities say they have destroyed thousands of toy guns in an effort to fight real crimes committed with fake weapons.