Mexico files new lawsuit against US gun dealers

Mexico’s international minister accuses US firms of contributing to unfold of unlawful weapons, excessive murder charges.

'If we don't cease this massive inflow of weapons to Mexico, how may we cease the violence right here?' Mexico's International Minister Marcelo Ebrard says [File: Luis Cortes/Reuters]

Mexico has filed one other lawsuit in america in opposition to US firms it says are fuelling a surge in homicides and the stream of unlawful weapons into the nation, the Mexican international minister introduced.

International Relations Secretary Marcelo Ebrard stated the brand new lawsuit targets 5 US gun sellers — all based mostly within the state of Arizona — which have contributed to the widespread availability of weapons in Mexico and the nation’s excessive murder charge.

The transfer comes simply greater than every week after a US choose dismissed a separate $10bn lawsuit Mexico filed final 12 months in opposition to 11 US gun producers.

“If we don't cease this massive inflow of weapons to Mexico, how may we cease the violence right here?” Ebrard stated in a video shared on Twitter on Monday.

“If america is asking us to help them — and this an excellent factor that we'd work collectively to fight fentanyl, chemical substances, drug cartels — we additionally need them to assist us cut back this inflow of weapons that does us nice hurt.”

Presentamos demanda en Arizona contra distribuidores y traficantes de armas a nuestro https://t.co/rkgtGNP4eJ nos vamos a dar por vencidos porque sólo si reducimos la disponibilidad de armas en México disminuiremos también la violencia que padecemos. pic.twitter.com/rcxTW94HPZ

— Marcelo Ebrard C. (@m_ebrard) October 10, 2022

Ebrard stated the declare was filed in a courtroom in Arizona.

The 5 firms named within the lawsuit are Sprague’s Sports activities, SNG Tactical, Diamondback Taking pictures Sports activities, Lone Prairie D/B/A Hub Goal Sports activities and Ammo A-Z, Reuters reported.

SNG Tactical and Sprague’s Sports activities declined to remark, the information company stated, whereas the opposite sellers didn't instantly reply to requests for remark.

Within the new lawsuit, the Mexican authorities asks the courtroom to require the defendants to institute requirements for monitoring gross sales and “fund research, packages, promoting campaigns and different occasions targeted on stopping illegal trafficking of weapons”.

It additionally requests damages paid to the Mexican authorities to be decided within the trial.

Final week, Ebrard stated Mexico additionally would enchantment a September 30 US federal courtroom resolution that dismissed the nation’s earlier $10bn lawsuit.

In that case, Mexico had accused 11 US gun producers of using reckless enterprise practices that enabled the stream of weapons into the nation, undermining native legal guidelines and resulting in hundreds of deaths.

Choose F Dennis Saylor of the US District Courtroom for the District of Massachusetts threw out Mexico’s lawsuit, saying the claims didn't overcome the broad safety offered to gun producers by the Safety of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act handed in 2005.

The legislation shields gun producers from damages “ensuing from the legal or illegal misuse” of a firearm.

The choice was a victory for gun makers, together with Smith & Wesson Manufacturers, Ruger & Co, Glock, and others accused of undermining Mexico’s strict legal guidelines on gun possession by designing, advertising and marketing and promoting military-style assault weapons that drug cartels have been utilizing.

Within the grievance, Mexico estimated that 2.2 % of the almost 40 million weapons made yearly within the US are smuggled into Mexico.

And in 2019 alone, a minimum of 17,000 homicides have been linked to weapons trafficked from the US, based on the grievance.