Phoenix Store Armed Mexican Cartels

A Phoenix gun store owner sold at least 650 firearms to drug cartels operating in Mexico, federal and state authorities said following a Tuesday raid that netted 1,300 weapons and three arrests.

Driving the news: ATF and Phoenix police raided X Caliber Guns and arrested owner George Iknadosian, 46, along with brothers Hugo Miguel Gamez, 26, and Cesar Bojorguez Gamez, 28 — both identified as cartel-connected recruiters who organized straw purchases at the store.

Catch up quick:

• The investigation began 11 months ago after guns tied to homicides in Mexico traced back to X Caliber
• Undercover ATF agents and Phoenix detectives made controlled buys inside the store after signaling the guns were headed to Mexico — and Iknadosian sold to them anyway
• 1,300 firearms were seized between the store and Iknadosian's Glendale home

The straw buyer operation ran through the Gamez brothers, who were legally in the U.S. and working on behalf of a major Mexican cartel. They recruited buyers to walk into X Caliber, make purchases, and hand the guns off for trafficking south of the border. ATF Special Agent Carlos Baixauli said Iknadosian knew exactly where the guns were going.

"This is not just taking guns to Mexico. This is putting guns in the hands of drug dealers and human smugglers. ... This is a despicable crime." — Phoenix Police Assistant Chief Andy Anderson

Between the lines: This case is a textbook illustration of why the ATF focuses enforcement resources on dealers, not just buyers. Straw purchasing is already a federal felony — but when a licensed dealer actively facilitates the pipeline and sells through undercover operations after knowing the guns are bound for cartels, the case becomes something prosecutors can actually close.

By the numbers:

• 650+ firearms Iknadosian allegedly sold into cartel supply chains
• 1,300 total weapons seized during the raid
• 11 months the investigation ran before arrests

Charges against all three include conducting an illegal enterprise, misconduct involving weapons, money laundering, forgery, and fraudulent schemes.

The bottom line: One dirty FFL can move hundreds of guns into the worst possible hands. ATF Arizona Chief Bill Newell put it plainly: it takes only one gun to kill someone. Six hundred fifty is not a rounding error.