U.S. Firearms Trafficking to Mexico: Independent Dealers at the Center

A gunsmith from a rural area, a former Marine, and several others are embroiled in an investigation stemming from summer 2018 in San Antonio, Texas. They allegedly trafficked over $500,000 in firearms and ammunition to the Cartel del Noreste, a Mexican drug cartel linked to ex-military personnel. Former Marine Jose J. Soto Jr., who served from 2004 to 2015, became a person of interest for collaborating with cartel affiliates. Together with gunsmith Brian Morris, Soto procured hundreds of high-caliber rifles, flipping them to the cartel. Significant contributions to this illicit supply chain stemmed from U.S. independent dealers like Zeroed In Armory and CDNN Sports. Investigators noted that independent sellers comprised 83% of trafficked firearms traced to U.S. gun shops, contributing significantly to violence-related weaponry in Mexico.