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Early success on border cited

U.S. agents seizing thousands of guns, millions in cash
By STEWART M. POWELL WASHINGTON BUREAU
June 15, 2009, 10:34PM

WASHINGTON — Homeland security chief Janet Napolitano is claiming early success for the Obama administration’s border crackdown on southbound smuggling of firearms and drug proceeds to Mexican drug cartels, citing a threefold increase in weapons’ seizures and a twofold increase in bulk cash seizures.

The secretary of homeland security produced the score card three months into the administration’s surge of at least 360 additional federal law enforcement personnel to the southwest border with Mexico. They are tasked with choking off cartels’ access to the guns and cash that have contributed to the gangland warfare that has claimed thousands of lives in Mexico since late 2006.

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Some 9,886 southbound firearms were seized in the eight-month period that started Oct.1 — up from 3,250 seized over the same period last year, according statistics provided by DHS spokeswoman Sara Kuban.

A total of $73.6 million in bulk cash drug proceeds was intercepted nationwide, up from $37.8 million. Of that amount, $26.5 million has been seized at southwest border ports of entry, up from $6.9 million the year before.

Seizures of northbound drugs also have increased significantly – with 1.2 million kilos of illegal drugs intercepted over the past eight months compared to 872,601 kilos the year before.

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Napolitano, a former two-term governor of Arizona, said the United States would deploy additional canine search teams and license plate readers at ports of entry to speed the inspections process.

Some 9,886 southbound firearms were seized in the eight-month period that started Oct.1 — up from 3,250 seized over the same period last year, according statistics provided by DHS spokeswoman Sara Kuban.

Mithras61 wrote:

Early success on border cited
WASHINGTON — Homeland security chief Janet Napolitano is claiming early success for the Obama administration’s border crackdown on southbound smuggling of firearms and drug proceeds to Mexican drug cartels, citing a threefold increase in weapons’ seizures and a twofold increase in bulk cash seizures.

The secretary of homeland security produced the score card three months into the administration’s surge of at least 360 additional federal law enforcement personnel to the southwest border with Mexico. They are tasked with choking off cartels’ access to the guns and cash that have contributed to the gangland warfare that has claimed thousands of lives in Mexico since late 2006.
...
Some 9,886 southbound firearms were seized in the eight-month period that started Oct.1 — up from 3,250 seized over the same period last year, according statistics provided by DHS spokeswoman Sara Kuban.

A total of $73.6 million in bulk cash drug proceeds was intercepted nationwide, up from $37.8 million. Of that amount, $26.5 million has been seized at southwest border ports of entry, up from $6.9 million the year before.

Seizures of northbound drugs also have increased significantly – with 1.2 million kilos of illegal drugs intercepted over the past eight months compared to 872,601 kilos the year before.
...
Napolitano, a former two-term governor of Arizona, said the United States would deploy additional canine search teams and license plate readers at ports of entry to speed the inspections process.

Amazing on multiple counts:
1) Enforcing existing gun laws works to reduce illegal flows of guns (no new laws required)
2) Enforcing existing drug laws reduces the flow of illegal drugs (no more laws here either)
3) I had no idea they could teach dogs to read license plates!

Some 9,886 southbound firearms were seized in the eight-month period that started Oct.1 — up from 3,250 seized over the same period last year, according statistics provided by DHS spokeswoman Sara Kuban.

AEA wrote:

Some 9,886 southbound firearms were seized in the eight-month period that started Oct.1 — up from 3,250 seized over the same period last year, according statistics provided by DHS spokeswoman Sara Kuban.

I do not believe these numbers. I would like to see some proof of this.

Mithras61 wrote:

AEA wrote:

Some 9,886 southbound firearms were seized in the eight-month period that started Oct.1 — up from 3,250 seized over the same period last year, according statistics provided by DHS spokeswoman Sara Kuban.

I do not believe these numbers. I would like to see some proof of this.

I agree that the numbers are suspect (they were counting a single cartridge as a firearm in an report earlier this year ), but the claims notwithstanding, the laws we have are more than up to the task if we enforce them (just like so many other gun laws).

AEA wrote:Yes I agree the laws on the books will work if enforced. However I question those numbers because I believe they are inflated for a later purpose of convincing idiots that Gunshows/Straw purchases in Border States are the problem with guns in Mexico.

jimlongley wrote:

Mithras61 wrote:

AEA wrote:

Some 9,886 southbound firearms were seized in the eight-month period that started Oct.1 — up from 3,250 seized over the same period last year, according statistics provided by DHS spokeswoman Sara Kuban.

I do not believe these numbers. I would like to see some proof of this.

I agree that the numbers are suspect (they were counting a single cartridge as a firearm in an report earlier this year ), but the claims notwithstanding, the laws we have are more than up to the task if we enforce them (just like so many other gun laws).

Kind of like back in 'Nam when a VC got blown to pieces, each separate part was counted as a body, and when three guys tasked with counting bodies walked past the same body, it became three. Figures don't lie, by liars can figure.

Amazing, flat out amazing. I wonder how much northbound ordinance and money was seized during this same period?