Mexico to sue US gunmakers over firearms illegally crossing the border

The Mexican government has announced it is suing several US gun manufacturers, alleging that insufficient controls have led to the illegal flow of weapons over the border.

The legal action seeks unspecified financial compensation from the companies, reports The Washington Post, and does not target the U.S. government.

Mexican authorities believe US-made weapons have contributed to the shattering violence that has plagued parts of the country over the past ten years.

Legal gun sales in Mexico are tightly restricted, but around 2.5 million illicit American guns have been brought across the border in the last decade, according to a Mexican government study released last year.

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The lawsuit maintains that the U.S. arms manufacturers “are conscious of the fact that their products are trafficked and used in illicit activities against the civilian population and authorities of Mexico,” according to a document from the Foreign Ministry.