"Two Iraqis and a Guatemalan walk into a gun store..."

[1srelluc]

Trio accused of buying high-powered rifle for Mexican drug cartel at North Texas gun store "Alagele and Shaker, who spoke Arabic to each other, wanted to buy at least four M249S assault rifles. The semiautomatic weapon, a civilian version of the military M249 SAW light machine gun, is belt fed and can fire rounds as fast as the user can pull the trigger. Stringing belts of ammo together, with the ability to swap out overheated barrels, allows users to fire continuously until they run out of ammo. Undercover agents monitored the transaction. When the men left, the agents from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives nabbed them. They were arrested on charges of making a firearms straw purchase — essentially illegally buying guns on behalf of someone else. It’s a tactic commonly used by Mexican drug cartels to subvert background check laws and buy guns in smaller quantities to avoid suspicion from law enforcement. Agents searched Shaker’s tow truck parked near the gun store and found $66,700 in cash wrapped in a raincoat in the back seat, court records show. The rifle is increasingly popular in Mexico’s drug cartel wars that lead to clashes with Mexican police and military forces. The North Texas case is notable because it represents an escalation in the firepower that cartels are seeking to buy in Texas gun stores. U.S. residents are increasingly buying high-powered assault rifles for Mexican gangsters — a trend ATF recently warned gun sellers about. U.S. authorities have stepped up enforcement near the Mexican border and reported a significant increase last year in the seizure of firearms attempted to be smuggled into Mexico. The enforcement is pushing illicit arms dealers into North Texas, ATF said. The men, two Iraqi immigrants and a Guatemalan, are in custody awaiting trial on charges of straw purchasing of firearms, and conspiracy to acquire a firearm from a licensed dealer by false or fictitious statement."

Paywall but there's the article in full.

LOL....They should have just bought them from the ATF like they used to.

So much for illegals "recent immigrants" buying guns.

 

[rampart]

Trio accused of buying high-powered rifle for Mexican drug cartel at North Texas gun store "Alagele and Shaker, who spoke Arabic to each other, wanted to buy at least four M249S assault rifles. The semiautomatic weapon, a civilian version of the military M249 SAW light machine gun, is belt fed and can fire rounds as fast as the user can pull the trigger. Stringing belts of ammo together, with the ability to swap out overheated barrels, allows users to fire continuously until they run out of ammo. Undercover agents monitored the transaction. When the men left, the agents from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives nabbed them. They were arrested on charges of making a firearms straw purchase — essentially illegally buying guns on behalf of someone else. It’s a tactic commonly used by Mexican drug cartels to subvert background check laws and buy guns in smaller quantities to avoid suspicion from law enforcement. Agents searched Shaker’s tow truck parked near the gun store and found $66,700 in cash wrapped in a raincoat in the back seat, court records show. The rifle is increasingly popular in Mexico’s drug cartel wars that lead to clashes with Mexican police and military forces. The North Texas case is notable because it represents an escalation in the firepower that cartels are seeking to buy in Texas gun stores. U.S. residents are increasingly buying high-powered assault rifles for Mexican gangsters — a trend ATF recently warned gun sellers about. U.S. authorities have stepped up enforcement near the Mexican border and reported a significant increase last year in the seizure of firearms attempted to be smuggled into Mexico. The enforcement is pushing illicit arms dealers into North Texas, ATF said. The men, two Iraqi immigrants and a Guatemalan, are in custody awaiting trial on charges of straw purchasing of firearms, and conspiracy to acquire a firearm from a licensed dealer by false or fictitious statement."

Paywall but there's the article in full.

LOL....They should have just bought them from the ATF like they used to.

So much for illegals "recent immigrants" buying guns.

are belt fed weapons legal in texas?

 

[1srelluc]

are belt fed weapons legal in texas?

Sure, Virginia too.

 

[The Duke]

Trio accused of buying high-powered rifle for Mexican drug cartel at North Texas gun store "Alagele and Shaker, who spoke Arabic to each other, wanted to buy at least four M249S assault rifles. The semiautomatic weapon, a civilian version of the military M249 SAW light machine gun, is belt fed and can fire rounds as fast as the user can pull the trigger. Stringing belts of ammo together, with the ability to swap out overheated barrels, allows users to fire continuously until they run out of ammo. Undercover agents monitored the transaction. When the men left, the agents from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives nabbed them. They were arrested on charges of making a firearms straw purchase — essentially illegally buying guns on behalf of someone else. It’s a tactic commonly used by Mexican drug cartels to subvert background check laws and buy guns in smaller quantities to avoid suspicion from law enforcement. Agents searched Shaker’s tow truck parked near the gun store and found $66,700 in cash wrapped in a raincoat in the back seat, court records show. The rifle is increasingly popular in Mexico’s drug cartel wars that lead to clashes with Mexican police and military forces. The North Texas case is notable because it represents an escalation in the firepower that cartels are seeking to buy in Texas gun stores. U.S. residents are increasingly buying high-powered assault rifles for Mexican gangsters — a trend ATF recently warned gun sellers about. U.S. authorities have stepped up enforcement near the Mexican border and reported a significant increase last year in the seizure of firearms attempted to be smuggled into Mexico. The enforcement is pushing illicit arms dealers into North Texas, ATF said. The men, two Iraqi immigrants and a Guatemalan, are in custody awaiting trial on charges of straw purchasing of firearms, and conspiracy to acquire a firearm from a licensed dealer by false or fictitious statement."

Paywall but there's the article in full.

LOL....They should have just bought them from the ATF like they used to.

So much for illegals "recent immigrants" buying guns.

Was the FFL in on it with the Feds?

 

[mudwhistle]

Trio accused of buying high-powered rifle for Mexican drug cartel at North Texas gun store "Alagele and Shaker, who spoke Arabic to each other, wanted to buy at least four M249S assault rifles. The semiautomatic weapon, a civilian version of the military M249 SAW light machine gun, is belt fed and can fire rounds as fast as the user can pull the trigger. Stringing belts of ammo together, with the ability to swap out overheated barrels, allows users to fire continuously until they run out of ammo. Undercover agents monitored the transaction. When the men left, the agents from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives nabbed them. They were arrested on charges of making a firearms straw purchase — essentially illegally buying guns on behalf of someone else. It’s a tactic commonly used by Mexican drug cartels to subvert background check laws and buy guns in smaller quantities to avoid suspicion from law enforcement. Agents searched Shaker’s tow truck parked near the gun store and found $66,700 in cash wrapped in a raincoat in the back seat, court records show. The rifle is increasingly popular in Mexico’s drug cartel wars that lead to clashes with Mexican police and military forces. The North Texas case is notable because it represents an escalation in the firepower that cartels are seeking to buy in Texas gun stores. U.S. residents are increasingly buying high-powered assault rifles for Mexican gangsters — a trend ATF recently warned gun sellers about. U.S. authorities have stepped up enforcement near the Mexican border and reported a significant increase last year in the seizure of firearms attempted to be smuggled into Mexico. The enforcement is pushing illicit arms dealers into North Texas, ATF said. The men, two Iraqi immigrants and a Guatemalan, are in custody awaiting trial on charges of straw purchasing of firearms, and conspiracy to acquire a firearm from a licensed dealer by false or fictitious statement."

Paywall but there's the article in full.

LOL....They should have just bought them from the ATF like they used to.

So much for illegals "recent immigrants" buying guns.

Hey......we should only be allowed to buy black powder muskets.

I wonder if they come belt-fed.

 

[The Duke]

I really don't see the point of a semi-auto M249.

Build an AR 10 with a heavy barrel.

 

[Woodznutz]

I'm surprised that the Feds intervened. All they've done so far is to cultivate the drug war, not stop it.

 

[BULLDOG]

Trio accused of buying high-powered rifle for Mexican drug cartel at North Texas gun store "Alagele and Shaker, who spoke Arabic to each other, wanted to buy at least four M249S assault rifles. The semiautomatic weapon, a civilian version of the military M249 SAW light machine gun, is belt fed and can fire rounds as fast as the user can pull the trigger. Stringing belts of ammo together, with the ability to swap out overheated barrels, allows users to fire continuously until they run out of ammo. Undercover agents monitored the transaction. When the men left, the agents from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives nabbed them. They were arrested on charges of making a firearms straw purchase — essentially illegally buying guns on behalf of someone else. It’s a tactic commonly used by Mexican drug cartels to subvert background check laws and buy guns in smaller quantities to avoid suspicion from law enforcement. Agents searched Shaker’s tow truck parked near the gun store and found $66,700 in cash wrapped in a raincoat in the back seat, court records show. The rifle is increasingly popular in Mexico’s drug cartel wars that lead to clashes with Mexican police and military forces. The North Texas case is notable because it represents an escalation in the firepower that cartels are seeking to buy in Texas gun stores. U.S. residents are increasingly buying high-powered assault rifles for Mexican gangsters — a trend ATF recently warned gun sellers about. U.S. authorities have stepped up enforcement near the Mexican border and reported a significant increase last year in the seizure of firearms attempted to be smuggled into Mexico. The enforcement is pushing illicit arms dealers into North Texas, ATF said. The men, two Iraqi immigrants and a Guatemalan, are in custody awaiting trial on charges of straw purchasing of firearms, and conspiracy to acquire a firearm from a licensed dealer by false or fictitious statement."

Paywall but there's the article in full.

LOL....They should have just bought them from the ATF like they used to.

So much for illegals "recent immigrants" buying guns.

Seems a background check for those individuals was called for, after al.

 

[the watcher]

I really don't see the point of a semi-auto M249.

I would think anyone with any sense could convert it.