U.S.-Mexico ‘Operation Frozen’ Moves Forward To Stop Illegal Arms for Drug Cartels

Dec. 23, 2019 (EIRNS)—A meeting between top Mexican officials and U.S. Ambassador Christopher Landau on Dec. 20 sealed an agreement on a bilateral legal framework for combatting the illegal arms trade. This gets underway the agreement for both nations to work together to shut down—freeze—the gigantic cross-border illegal weapons traffic which gives the cartels overwhelming firepower, discussed since the shocking display of drug cartel military power in Culiacan, Sinaloa last October. An estimated 70% of the cartels’ weapons come from the United States.

Under the framework, Mexico and the United States shall establish, each on their respective territories, inspection posts for the purpose of curbing illegal arms crossing the border between the two countries, Mexico’s Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection Alfonso Durazo reported in a series of tweets on Dec. 20. Durazo added, without further details, that the program will use “intrusive and non-intrusive technology” on all border crossings, beginning with Tijuana, Ciudad Juárez, Nuevo Laredo, Ciudad Reynosa and Matamoros. How advanced that non-intrusive technology will be is of interest.

Durazo reiterated: “Because illegal arms trafficking threatens the security and interests of our countries, it is essential to jointly attack this problem, with the sole objective of protecting the life, security and integrity of the citizens of both countries.”

Bilateral cooperation on shutting down cartel money-laundering remains to be similarly attacked.