Alleged Gun Trafficker Arrested

EL PASO, Texas- Mexican authorities have traced an arsenal of smuggled weapons to Victor Varela, the alleged leader of a firearms trafficking network operating in the Southwestern United States.

On February 13, an arsenal of weapons was recovered by Mexican authorities from a safe house in Juarez. Officials recovered two 50 caliber rifles, 25 long guns, 5 pistols, bulletproof vests and ammunition.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, out of El Paso, traced the firearms to Varela’s alleged trafficking operation in Arizona, where Varela was arrested.

According to AFT officials, Varela and his co-defendants would purchase firearms in Arizona for the purpose of supplying them to drug trafficking organizations in Mexico.

This is the just the latest in a string of arms busts by AFT’s ‘Project Gunrummer’. A recent investigation in Juarez turned up 89 firearms, worth more than $123,000 and an H2 Hummer. According to agents, 1,869 firearms were documented going into Mexico. A Juarez Municipal Officer was also arrested for trying to smuggles arms into Mexico. That officer is now serving time in Federal prison in the US.

For more information on ATF and Project Gunrunner, click here.