New York Times Report on Cartel Weapons Downplays One Hugely Important Fact
By Cam Edwards | 5:31 PM | March 17, 2026
The New York Times published a lengthy article on Tuesday that blames the U.S. firearms industry for cartel violence south of the border, quoting Mexican officials' dubious claims that as many as 500,000 firearms are illegally trafficked across the border each year and pointing to Arizona's "weak" gun laws as one of the enabling factors fueling the rampant violence in Mexico.
But the Times' report largely ignores one of its own assertions that cuts against the idea that private party firearm transfers are a major source of cartel firepower. It comes about halfway through the Times report:
Mexico’s security minister, Omar Harfuch, the country’s top official tapped to weaken the cartels, recently told The New York Times that he has pressed his American counterparts to further investigate the sources and suppliers of military-grade weapons not sold in gun stores. About 80 percent of weapons seized by Mexican authorities come from the United States, he said at a recent news conference.
Mr. Harfuch said that both Sinaloa Cartel and its rival Jalisco New Generation Cartel are increasingly armed with weapons like grenade launchers, grenades, machine guns and assault rifles.
“That is what we are dealing with here,” he said. “If it became more difficult for them to have that type of weapon, it would definitely be a different fight.”
I doubt the accuracy of that 80% figure, given that the Mexican government does't trace every firearm seized from cartels. And the cartels certainly aren't getting grenade launches, grenades, machine guns, and "assault rifles" from sporting goods stores or gun shops in Arizona, even if those weapons are American made. More gun control laws, including a universal background check mandate, isn't going to do anything to stop the supply of military-grade arms from reaching the cartels.
https://bearingarms.com/camedwards/2026/03/17/new-york-times-report-on-cartel-weapons-downplays-one-hugely-important-fact-n1231899
