Seeking to slow the sale of assault rifles to Mexico’s drug cartels, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) wants an emergency regulation adopted by January that would require certain gun dealers along the southwestern border to report bulk sales of high-powered semiautomatic weapons.

 

Under the proposed new rule, gun shops would have to alert ATF after selling two or more assault rifles (.22 caliber with detachable magazines) within five consecutive business days. The requirement would cover such weapons as AK-47s and AR-15s, both of which are commonly used by drug-trafficking organizations in Mexico.

 

Gun rights organizations, including the National Rifle Association, intend to fight the adoption of the new regulation. Those in favor of the rule include New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who advocated for such a requirement shortly after President Barack Obama took office.

 

ATF says more than 60,000 guns confiscated by Mexican police and military in the drug wars have been traced back to U.S. merchants and sellers.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

 

Proposal Calls for Gun Dealers to Report Bulk Sales of Assault Weapons (by James V. Grimaldi and Sari Horwitz, Washington Post)

60-Day Emergency Notice of Information Collection Under Review: Report of Multiple Sale or Other Disposition of Certain Rifles. (Federal Register) (pdf)

Drug Cartels Love Houston Gun Shops (by David Wallechinsky and Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)