US - Mexico Launches Joint Initiative To Overcome Cross-border Arms Trade

JAKARTA - The United States and Mexico launched a new bilateral initiative aimed at stopping the flow of illegal firearms across the border with them, the US State Department said on weekends.

"For the first time, the US and Mexico are implementing joint inspections, sharing information directly, and expanding investigations to stop the cartel supplying weapons. Historical cooperation to protect the two countries," said US Ambassador to Mexico, Ronald Johnson, on social media.

The announcement was made at the inaugural meeting of the US-Mexico Security Implementation Group, which was formed earlier this month during the visit of Foreign Minister Rubio to Mexico to step up joint action against narcotics trafficking and arms smuggling.

As part of this new initiative, Mexico will expand the use of US tracking equipment such as eTrace and ballistic imaging technology throughout 32 states, while the two countries will step up investigations, prosecutions, and joint intelligence exchanges, the department said.

The initiative also calls for more in-depth bilateral investigations, more prosecutions, and increased US inspections to stop arms smuggling to the south the main driver of cartel violence in Mexico.