Mexicali-area police arrested in Phoenix BY VICTOR MORALES, Staff Writer
Thursday, September 13, 2007 5:53 PM PDT
PHOENIX — Three high-ranking Mexican law enforcement officers, including two state police officers stationed in Mexicali and one federal officer were arrested by Phoenix police Saturday.
Police officials said the officers allegedly bought weapons and ammunition at a gun show, a violation of a law prohibiting non-citizens from buying firearms, said Tom Mangan, a spokesman with the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms taskforce.
Carlos Alberto Flores, 36, a director for the Baja California State Police, Baja State Police Commander Guillermo Valle Medina, 33, and Jose Santos Cortes Gonzalez, 41, a federal police commander in Baja California were booked for suspicion of alien possession of a weapon, Mangan said.
Plainclothes ATF agents had overheard the officers negotiating with a private seller and observed them buying three handguns at the gun show, Mangan said.
Agents had noted the armored suburban they were traveling in had Mexican license plates.
Police stopped the vehicle and discovered the handguns along with 450 rounds of ammunition, Mangan said. It was later determined the vehicle was an official police vehicle, Mangan said.
The officers had entered the U.S. through the Downtown Calexico Port of Entry.
Baja California State Police officials could not be reached for comment.
Mangan said the sting was part of Operation Gunrunner, an ATF initiative meant to stop the influx of U.S arms going to Mexico.
“We at the ATF understand there is an iron river of guns flowing south from the U.S. to Mexico,” Mangan said.
There was nothing to suggest the officers were purchasing the guns other than for their own personal use, Mangan said.
Licensed gun dealers in Arizona must report a sale to the ATF and conduct a background check before delivery. A private dealer, however, does not have to comply with that law, Mangan said.
Flores and Cortes were released on $20,000 bail and Valle was released under his own recognizance, Mangan said.
The officers have pending court dates in Phoenix, Mangan said.
>> Staff Writer Victor Morales can be reached at 337-3452 or ivpressonline.com
" well they probably were tryiing to get better guns to protect themselves,the guns they got are not enough to figth back the nice, fast, deadly,bodyarmored piercing widowmaker ones the criminals have, but they broke the law& they have to pay "
bonifacenation wrote on Sep 13, 2007 12:46 AM:
" '¿Quieres plata o quieres plomo?' Would you like silver (payment) or lead (an offer you can't refuse)? That is the question asked by corrupt law enforcement - an oxymoron in Mexico. "
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ekiumy wrote on Sep 13, 2007 3:34 AM: