Mexico City — The Mexican government continues to pursue an international strategy blaming U.S. gun manufacturers for the illegal flow of weapons to organized crime, while simultaneously selling American-made rifles, pistols and ammunition to authorized civilians through a state-controlled legal system, according to official documents.
The contrast emerges amid rising armed violence and reports of high-caliber ammunition being used in attacks against police and civilians.
According to official documents from the Mexican Army (Sedena) and records obtained through transparency requests, the military not only regulates the legal weapons market for civilians and police corporations but has also increased its acquisitions of weaponry and ammunition in recent years.
How Mexico’s Legal Weapons Market Works
In Mexico, legal weapons sales are centralized through the Directorate for Weapons and Ammunition Commercialization (DCAM), which operates under Sedena.
The system doesn’t prohibit civilians from buying guns—it regulates them. The official catalog offers:
- Pistols
- Rifles
- Semi-automatic rifles
- Ammunition
Access depends on administrative requirements, permits, and financial capability.
Examples of Available Weapons
Semi-automatic rifles
- SIG Sauer MCX: 50,811 pesos
- SIG Sauer SIG516: 37,782 pesos
- Ruger AR-556: 29,201 pesos
Estimated rate of fire: 45 to 60 rounds per minute
Range: Up to 500 meters
Long-range rifles
- Winchester XPR caliber .30-06: 17,176 pesos
- Weatherby Vanguard .243 Win: 17,393 pesos
- Tippmann M4-22: 24,232 pesos
Pistols
- SIG Sauer P365 .380: 14,930 pesos
- SIG Sauer P320: From 14,982 pesos
- Springfield XD-M Elite: 10,396 pesos
Effective range: 25 to 50 meters
Weapon and Ammunition Purchases by the Army
Official documents indicate Sedena awarded contracts for:
- 12,949,000 cartridges
- 260,000 grenades and projectiles
- Estimated value: Over 332 million pesos
The acquisitions include:
- 5.56 mm cartridges
- 7.62 mm cartridges
- Various caliber grenades
- Training and deployment ammunition
Contracts were signed with companies including:
- Sophos Inc.
- Safariland LLC
- Sig Sauer Inc.
Validity: October 2025 to December 2026
According to the documents, the objective is operational supply and inventory replenishment for the Army and Air Force.
Increased Purchases in Recent Years
Transparency records show the Army increased weapons purchases in recent years compared to the 2015-2018 period.
The acquisitions include:
- Pistols
- Precision rifles
- Machine guns
- Launchers
Several contracts were made with foreign suppliers like Israel Weapon Industries.
Violence and Armed Confrontation
Official data indicates:
- Armed attacks against federal forces increased from just over 400 in 2024 to more than 560 in 2025
- An increase of approximately 22%
The attacks include:
- Ambushes
- Mines
- Drones
- Grenades
Security specialist José Antonio Ortega Ortega stated: “We’re seeing an increase in confrontation: if you attack me, I respond. But the solution isn’t to fight more, but to investigate better.”
He added: “We don’t see the same growth in reducing impunity. Police and prosecutors should focus on investigating murderers and extortionists.”
Illegal Trafficking vs. Legal Market: Two Parallel Circuits
Public debate typically separates two realities:
Illegal trafficking
- Weapons from the U.S. to cartels
- Used in criminal attacks
Legal market
- State-regulated sales
- Supply to authorized civilians and police
Both circuits share:
- Industrial origin
- Technology
- Ammunition
The difference lies in subsequent control.
Context
Mexico maintains legal actions in U.S. courts against gun manufacturers for illegal trafficking. Simultaneously, it regulates legal sales for civilian defense and police equipment.
The system seeks to concentrate control in the state. The debate centers on whether the problem is the weapon’s origin or its use.
Discover more from Riviera Maya News & Events
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.