8/31/2017 ATF Fact Sheet ­ Project Gunrunner

https://web.archive.org/web/20091204023010/http://www.atf.gov/publications/factsheets/factsheet­project­gunrunner.html 1/2

August 2008

www.atf.gov

Contact: ATF Public Affairs Division

(202) 648­8500

PROJECT GUNRUNNER

ATF is deploying its resources strategically on the Southwest Border to deny

firearms, the “tools of the trade,” to criminal organizations in Mexico and along the border, as

well as to combat firearms­related violence affecting communities on both sides of the border.

In partnership with other U.S. agencies and the Government of Mexico, ATF refined its

Southwest Border strategy. ATF developed Project Gunrunner to stem the flow of firearms into

Mexico and thereby deprive narcotics cartels of weapons. The initiative seeks to focus ATF's

investigative, intelligence and training resources to suppress firearms trafficking to Mexico and

stem firearms­related violence on both sides of the border.

Firearms tracing, in particular the expansion of the eTrace firearms tracing system, is

a critical component of Project Gunrunner in Mexico. In 2008, ATF deployed eTrace

technology in the nine U.S. consulates in Mexico. ATF has conducted discussions with the

Government of Mexico regarding the decentralization of the firearms tracing process to deploy

Spanish­language eTrace to other Mexico agencies.

In the past two years, ATF has seized thousands of firearms headed to Mexico.

Trends indicate the firearms illegally crossing the U.S.­Mexico border are becoming more

powerful. ATF has analyzed firearms seizures in Mexico from FY 2005­07 and identified the

following weapons most commonly used by drug traffickers:

9mm pistols;

.38 Super pistols;

5.7mm pistols;

.45­caliber pistols;

AR­15­type rifles; and

AK­47­type rifles.

Most of the firearms violence in Mexico is perpetrated by drug­trafficking

organizations (DTOs) who are vying for control of drug trafficking routes to the United States

and engaging in turf battles for disputed distribution territories. Hundreds of Mexican citizens

and law enforcement personnel have become casualties of the firearms­related violence. DTOs

operating in Mexico rely on firearms suppliers to enforce and maintain their illicit narcotics

operations. Intelligence indicates these criminal organizations have tasked their moneylaundering, distribution and transportation infrastructures with reaching into the United States

to acquire firearms and ammunition. These Mexican DTO infrastructures have become the

leading gun­trafficking organizations operating in the southwest United States.

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Fact Sheet

Public Affairs Division – Washington, DC
8/31/2017 ATF Fact Sheet ­ Project Gunrunner

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ATF has dedicated approximately 100 special agents and 25 industry operations

investigators to the Southwest Border initiative over the past two years. ATF has recently

assigned special agents to Las Cruces, N.M., and Yuma, Ariz. These assignments are part of a

broad plan to increase the strategic coverage and disrupt firearms­trafficking corridors operating

along the border.

For more information on ATF’s programs, please visit the website at www.atf.gov

(https://web.archive.org/web/20091204023010/http://www.atf.gov/) .

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