Feds: Gun criminals fell for fake store (N.M.)

[joe817]

My first thought was "hmmmm....good that the bg's don't have them." My second thought was..."if they were buying guns, were they selling them? And if so, was there a deal to be had there?

[KD5NRH]

Agents were also able to purchase ammunition and drugs through the storefront operation.

Took me a minute to realize that this wasn't intended to describe an employee benefit

It does leave me wondering how many legitimate transactions were done during the time the store was open, though; the ratio would potentially be a good data point to show how little of the traffic in firearms is actually illegal.

[lrb111]

ATF agents said the guns were either stolen, unregistered or had their serial numbers removed.

Would that be unregistered with BATFE, or unregistered in the state of New Mexico. Maybe "unregistered" as wishful thinking on the part of an anti.

[Fangs]

Unregistered (no tax stamp paid for) class 3 firearms?

[5thGenTexan]

So figuring 260 8 hour work days in a year how much do you figure the US Attorney in New Mexico spent to take that handful of weapons off the street, close to a million. Bet they could have made a bigger bang for our buck doing it in LA, New York, or Chicago. But wait they don't have gun problems in those cities.

But on the bright side they were not hassling honest gun owners while otherwise engaged.

[Kythas]

It does leave me wondering how many legitimate transactions were done during the time the store was open, though; the ratio would potentially be a good data point to show how little of the traffic in firearms is actually illegal.

Good point. Especially considering they only made 22 arrests after only one year operating a retail establishment - and one where they put the word out on the street that they buy the hot stuff.

I'll bet they made thousands of legitimate transactions in that year's time.

[Purplehood]

Based on a single reading of the article and taking it purely at face-value, sounds like an expensive but valid sting-operation. I don't how effective it was for the effort though.

[KD5NRH]

Based on a single reading of the article and taking it purely at face-value, sounds like an expensive but valid sting-operation.

Well, in theory, since lots of legitimate pawn shops turn a profit, the operation should have paid for itself. Then again, we know how bad the government is with finances...