Escuintla and Izabal are regions where individuals and criminal groups seek to buy firearms illegally, a black market that is maintained by the proximity of maritime terminals through which criminal structures enter weapons hidden in packages, and which is evidenced by the seizures, says the National Civil Police (PNC).
Escuintla is one of the departments with the highest commercial activity, offering all kinds of merchandise, but it is also one of the regions where crime rates and the black market for the sale of firearms of all kinds prevail, say police investigators, who attribute this sale to its proximity to the port of Quetzal, through which transnational criminal structures bring in their weapons.
This illegal market has led to several arrests, because “the majority of weapons sold in this department are for criminals,” says a police officer.
He added that one of the municipalities in that department where illegal arms sales have been concentrated is Iztapa, where weapons have been confiscated from individuals during search operations on public roads and in raids aimed at dismantling certain groups.
Police experts acknowledge that although firearms have been seized at the maritime terminal in previous years, many manage to enter national territory.
“Weapons are sold to criminals, drug traffickers and gang members, most of them come from Puerto Quetzal,” they say.
Seizures
The director of the PNC, David Custodio Boteo, confirmed that investigations are being carried out in that department due to the illegal sale of weapons, and recalled that several arrests were made recently, when the illegal sale of 12 firearms was being negotiated.
“They were negotiating the weapons, we let them meet with the supposed buyers and that’s how they were captured. The influx of illegal weapons into the country is large; this year we have seized 1,900 illegal firearms,” he added.
The police chief also indicated that Iztapa is a “center for the sale of weapons and most of them are illegal,” which are ordered by gangs.
He adds that, generally, the departments that are close to ports tend to be centers for the sale of illicit goods.
This situation is not only seen in Escuintla, but seizures have also been reported at the Santo Tomas de Castilla port in Puerto Barrios, Izabal.
On July 27, the PNC reported the seizure of 13 rifles, 27 hoppers and two compressed gas pistols in a warehouse of the National Port Company, Santo Tomás de Castilla. The weapons arrived as parcels from the United States, although it is unknown where they were destined.
In May, in the same port, during a PNC inspection, 2 pistols, 1 rifle, 2 hoppers and 191 rounds of ammunition were found.
“Half of the weapons that are brought in illegally are used by criminal groups. The main buyers are gangs and they are no longer war weapons as was previously thought,” said an investigative agent.
Capture
On March 11, 2021, a man was arrested in the United States on charges of sending high-caliber weapons and ammunition via parcels to Guatemala.
The operation was carried out in coordination with the Office of the Prosecutor against Transnational Crimes with the support of the National Civil Police and in coordination with the National Security Investigations Agency of the Department of Homeland Security of the United States.
The operation was carried out simultaneously in the United States, where a raid and vehicle inspection took place in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Authorities accuse him of lying on a federal form, interstate firearms trafficking, and purchasing firearms in his own name for use by others.
According to the investigation, the detainee allegedly sent weapons and ammunition that were located in the warehouses of the Port of Sato Tomás de Castilla, Puerto Barrios, Izabal.
Prices
Despite police and military operations, the black market for weapons prevails on the Mexico-Guatemala border, according to arms importers duly registered with the General Directorate of Arms and Ammunition (Digecam).
Although the AK-47 has gradually disappeared from the market, its popularity has caused its cost to increase rather than decrease. In the United States, this type of weapon is legally purchased for US$1,200, approximately Q9,600.
On the black market that prevails between the Mexico-Guatemala border, it is sold for US$2,500, around Q20,000 according to experts. AK-47 ammunition for 2.23 carbine is illegally obtained for Q600 per box.
On the black market, a 50-millimeter Barret rifle can be purchased for US$10,000, and despite being exclusive to the U.S. Navy, it is common to see them in the vehicles of drug cartels in Mexico.
The weapons most commonly offered on the illegal market are 9-millimeter caliber pistols, at a cost of Q3,500 or Q5,000.
Legally, ammunition for this type of weapon is sold in boxes of 50 units at a cost of Q170; on the black market, the costs triple or quintuple.
Police experts say that a hitman who only intends to commit a crime usually tries to buy three or five rounds in different places because the prices for ammunition are different and thus manages to fill a 20-round cartridge, which is what a 9-millimeter Glock holds. Currently, weapons are also offered on social networks at different prices.
Among the requirements that Digecam demands for the purchase of a firearm for civilian and sporting use are certificates of lack of criminal and police records, as well as proof of employment and income. However, Carlos Aquino, director of Táctica y Seguridad GT, says that the most important requirements are the practical, theoretical and psychological exams that according to him, “are fair and necessary.”
“The psychological exam is the most difficult test and has prevented many people from choosing to own a firearm,” he said.
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