FLORENCE, Ariz. (AP) — An Arizona sheriff says that two guns seized as part of a major drug smuggling bust have been connected to a botched federal investigation known as "Fast and Furious."
"Fast and Furious" was a controversial Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms' investigation that lost track of up to 1,400 weapons that were sold in Arizona gun stores to suspected straw buyers for Mexican drug gangs.
A number of guns have been recovered at crime scenes in Mexico and two were found at the scene of a Border Patrol agent's death.
Now Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu says two more "Fast and Furious" guns have been seized in Arizona from members of the Sinaloa cartel, Mexico's most powerful.
The two guns were among 108 weapons seized in three busts in September and October that authorities said effectively dismantled a major drug smuggling ring tied to the Sinaloa cartel.
mlimberg posted at 6:44 pm on Tue, Nov 1, 2011.
Now charge Holder with Murder!!!!!!!
Masterrogue666 posted at 7:50 pm on Tue, Nov 1, 2011.
Don't forget, this happened on OBAMA's WATCH!!!
PeacefulCat posted at 11:44 am on Wed, Nov 2, 2011.
Bush had a similar program called Wide Receiver
lesser of two evil is still evil
Slabside posted at 5:10 pm on Wed, Nov 2, 2011.
PeacefulCat;
WIDE RECEIVER: It was never the intent to let these guns cross into Mexico; they were equipped with tracking devices and the majority were recovered with the buyers arrested BEFORE crossing the border. as to be expected some of the tracking devices failed or were removed by knowledgeable buyers resulting in a few getting across the border. What I have been able to find so far as a figure (and I don't trust that figure) for the total amount of weapons involved during the whole operation is less than 500 with a small amount making it across the border.
FAST AND FURIOUS: No attempt whatsoever was made to track these after they had been sold and the full intent was to let them "walk" into Mexico. Officials hoped that at sometime they would be confiscated at a crime scene and identified. We know that at least 2,000 weapons were let go like this and at least 1,400 of them cannot be accounted for. The ones that have been accounted for were found at crimes scenes in Mexico.
Wide Receiver in my opinion was a boondoggle that should never have been attempted. But contrary to Fast and Furious and attempt was made to insure that these weapons would not cross the border. The other fact is that Wide Receiver was quietly shut down and not a peep about a similar operation was heard until after two things happened:
1. BATF figures on the amount of weapons of U.S. origin found in Mexico were roundly disputed and discredited.
2. President Obama meets with Calderon and is pressured into promising to do more about U.S. guns entering Mexico.
One other problem with Holder: During his testimony (and that of some others) he testified that he knew nothing about ANY gun running operation into Mexico by the Obama OR the Bush administrations.
BUSH ISN'T THE POTUS ANYMORE!
Masterrogue666 posted at 8:07 pm on Wed, Nov 2, 2011.
PeacefulCat: It seems like you've heard SOME of the story, but not ALL. Do a search in Google using "George bush wide receiver" and check the first link. The primary bits of information I want you to know is below:
"Operation Wide Receiver, begun in 2006 and ended in 2007, had 500 weapons straw purchased, while Fast and Furious, begun in 2009 and ended in late 2010, shortly after border agent Brian Terry’s death, had at least 2000 guns involved. Of the 2,000 guns released by ATF agents in Operation Fast and Furious, only 600 were recovered, leaving 1,400 guns unrecovered. (Some reports put the number of unrecovered guns at over 2000)"
"The “same tactic” was not used under President Bush. Project Gunrunner, started as a pilot program in Laredo, Texas, of which Operation Wide Receiver was a part, involved straw purchasers buying weapons, but those purchasers were immediately apprehended before crossing back into Mexico or transferring arms to dangerous criminals. In fact, straw purchaser arrests and prosecutions have been way down under Obama’s administration, so much so it’s almost as if the Obama Justice Department has no interest in prosecuting illegal straw purchasers at all."
In summary: Wider Receiver guns numbered 500 and NONE made it to Mexico. In operation Fast and Furious the number was AT LEAST 2,000, and more that 1,400 (or more, they DO KNOW FOR SURE) MADE IT TO MEXICO.
So, there is no "Lesser of two evils". There's one VERY WELL RUN operation, netting scores of criminal types, and one COMPLETE FAILURE ARMING FOREIGN NATIONALS TO THE TEETH!!!
Why don't you ask President OBAMA if that made the border "SAFER"....