Cartels have been able to obtain massive amounts of weapons with the help of American buyers, according to a report by CBS News. Despite the U.S government's awareness of this issue, little action has been taken to address the problem. The cartels reportedly pay Americans to purchase weapons on their behalf, which are then smuggled into Mexico through various networks.
In an effort to combat the cartels' weapon supply chain, a project called Project Thor was initiated in 2018. The project uncovered a vast and intricate network within the United States that facilitated the smuggling of weapons to Mexican drug cartels. The findings of Project Thor indicated that the increased violence in Mexico was directly linked to the American-based supply of weapons. However, in 2022, the project did not receive further funding, raising concerns about the government's commitment to addressing the issue.
According to a fact sheet released by the White House in June 2023, the government is actively working to address the problem. The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have collaborated to stop the flow of weapons across the border into Mexico. The fact sheet highlights the "Southbound Firearms Trafficking Coordination Meeting," where multiple governmental agencies came together to counter weapon smuggling. This collaboration has resulted in the confiscation of nearly 2,000 firearms in the first half of the fiscal year of 2023 through "Operation Southbound."
To further combat the issue, the DOJ established an "anti-cartel weapons trafficking group" at the southwestern border. Legal action has also been taken, with over 100 defendants being charged with trafficking weapons or purchasing weapons for unlawful use. While these efforts indicate a step in the right direction, it remains to be seen whether they will be enough to effectively dismantle the cartels' weapon supply chain and mitigate the violence associated with it.
