Nearly 9,700 guns intercepted en route to Mexico so far this year, federal officials say

Trump administration officials say they’ve intercepted nearly 9,700 firearms that were en route to Mexico from the U.S.-Mexico border since January.

Federal officials say interagency investigations also intercepted some 3,000 rounds of ammunition meant for high caliber rifles.

Brendan Iber, special agent in charge with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Phoenix office, said firearms that are caught are traced back to their first legal purchaser.

“So from the manufacturer, to the distributor, down to that individual federal firearms licensee, and at that point in time we can identify who the original purchaser is,” he said.

Iber says ATF works with gun stores to stop illicit firearms purchases, known as straw sales.

“We work hand in hand with them. ATF educates these federal firearms licensees on identifying straw purchasers and working with them to stop this,” he said.

Mexico has been in the midst of two lawsuits against various aspects of the gun trade for the last few years. One alleges five Arizona gun stores willfully participated in gun trafficking through irresponsible sales and marketing practices. Another argues U.S. gun makers design, market and sell guns in ways that arm drug cartels and drive up violence there.