ATF, ICE and Others Bust Firearm Ring with Roots in Mexico

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International Firearm Ring Busted
Alexandra Limon
November 9, 2011
An arms trafficking ring with players in Mexico and the U.S. was busted by ATF, ICE and other agencices.

In 2009, 33-year-old Gregorio Salgado Lopez was arrested in Mexico after hew as caught on a bus with more than 50 guns. He paid bail and fled to the U.S.

"Mexican authorities were assisted by atf agents in tracking the firearms to madera," said U.S Attorney, Benjamin B. Wagner.

The Department of Justice says the group bought at least 400 firearms at a local Madera gun shop. The guns are .22 caliber rifles, not typically used by criminals. It appears this operation does not have ties to Mexican drug cartels.

Three suspects were arrested Tuesday, and appeared in court Wednesday. At least two others live in Mexico, they and the others are still at large and probably remain in the Madera area. Including Demetrio Cortez Ordaz, authorities say he was the one who transported the guns to Mexico.

According to ATF, the group purchased more than 400 rifles at Pete's Sport Shop from 2006 to 2009 for the purpose of reselling the guns illegally, in Oaxaca Mexico.

"Right now were showing over six years and there were not that many guns so i have to take issue with their numbers," said Rochelle Noblett, the President of Pete's Sport Shop.

The store and it's employees are not facing any charges. The Department of Justice says Pete's did nothing wrong. Noblett says the number of guns purchased by some of the suspects, did raise a red flag. "Then i called the DOJ in california and i asked them and i was told they can buy as many long guns as they want," said Noblett.

Thisis not believed to be related to Mexican drug cartels.

"They're not the sort of semi automatic assault riffles or other automatic weapons that are typically purchased by members of mexican cartels. and we are not aware of any of these particular rifles being sold to members of the mexican cartels," said Wagner.

ATF says most of the rifles have been recovered.