**GAO-09-709**                      Published: Jun 18, 2009. Publicly Released: Jun 18, 2009.                  

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## Highlights

In recent years, violence along the U.S.-Mexico border has escalated dramatically, due largely to the Mexican government's efforts to disrupt Mexican drug trafficking organizations (DTO). U.S. officials note the violence associated with Mexican DTOs poses a serious challenge for U.S. law enforcement, threatening citizens on both sides of the border, and U.S. and Mexican law enforcement officials generally agree many of the firearms used to perpetrate crimes in Mexico are illicitly trafficked from the United States across the Southwest border. GAO was asked to examine (1) data on the types, sources, and users of these firearms; (2) key challenges confronting U.S. government efforts to combat illicit sales of firearms in the United States and stem the flow of them into Mexico; (3) challenges faced by U.S. agencies collaborating with Mexican authorities to combat the problem of illicit arms; and (4) the U.S. government's strategy for addressing the issue. GAO analyzed program information and firearms data and met with U.S. and Mexican officials on both sides of the border.

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## Topics

International Affairs

Border securityCrimesCriminalsDrug traffickingFederal intelligence agenciesFederal lawFederal regulationsFirearmsGun control lawInvestigations by federal agenciesLaw enforcementLaw enforcement agenciesRisk assessmentRisk managementSearch and seizureStrategic planning

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Weapons Recovered from Arms Trafficking to MexicoThursday, June 18, 2009Receive GAO Updates
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