Interview with a hitman

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Todd Bensman interviews a former Mexican soldier who changed sides, joining a drug cartel.

By Todd Bensman — GlobalPost

Published: May 8, 2009 06:39 ET
Updated: May 9, 2009 08:20 ET

Page 3 of 4

How did you get ammunition?

When we need some ammo, just cross somebody who can come here to the United States legally. They would go to the store and buy some ammo. Whatever the caliber because you don't need an ID or be a citizen or resident or nothing.

How much ammunition did you see?

Buckets filled with it. You could enter into the safety houses and see buckets full of ammunition. So you could go and see whatever caliber do I need and take your own ammunition, magazines and everything. There's no restriction for buying. There weren't, but I don't know if there is already.

What did you use these weapons for?

Oh, (to) kill people, or hurt people. Use them as a tool for kidnap and for escort drugs.

After you hurt or killed somebody, did you keep the weapons or throw them?

Yes sir. The same gun to kill persons in different events. If you are caught with the weapons, they never noted that the weapon was used in so many crimes. They don't do the investigation, how do you say the CSI things, tests for the weapons to match the crimes. They don't do that in Mexico, so it was no problem to keep the same weapon.

How many people in your group?

In my escort group, about 40 persons.

Was everybody armed better than the local police or the military?

Yeah, but a lot of, for the first thing, we got uniforms. The local police didn't have uniforms. Many times, they couldn't afford them. We had better vehicles. Better radio communications, and much better weapons because we had automatic and the same weapons and we had ammo in it. Sometimes we cuff some cops and take their weapons and they don't have ammo. I remember one time we took a pistol from a guy who tried to stop us, so when we take the weapon, I show it to my boss and I told him, he has no ammo and he tried to stop us. What is he thinking about? The most times, we were better armed than the local police. Not the army, just the local police.

Why is all this happening, all this shooting and killing, decapitations?

It's a big war. Many organizations started war in two or three different fronts at the same time, so they are making alliances with another group who has money to get weapons and to get supplies for keep the war. I mean there are groups who has the training because all the members are military, but there are groups that have the money because they are working more often with drugs here to the U.S. so they are receiving more money. These groups are working together to fight their enemies.

Why not just stay in the military?

I told you, I had a problem in the military, so I left the military. About a couple of months then I met him and he offered me the work ... . It was a legal problem. I was working on a special commission and I had a legal problem over there.

Were there a lot of military people like you who were going to the cartel?

Yeah.

What were their reasons?

Many reasons. Some for the money. Some for they have nothing to do ... . As your work, you know a lot of people. As you go to one part, you say, I know this guy and I know this guy. And that guy knows another two. It's a long chain.

Comments:

7 Comments.

Posted by kentvander on May 8, 2009 11:14 ET

Todd, if I ever saw an article that was B.S. this looks to be it. Either you made it up completely or the idiot you were interviewing was primed to give you these answers.

The description of converting the weapons to full auto is BS and they don't get them from US stores or gunshows. The weaposn in the pictures are not even the AK clones that are available here. Most of that stuff is easier bought all over the world than in the US. The US made automatic weapons are coming from Mexico's own military as is the ammunitions. Of course the US loses control of it once it's in the hands of the Mexican army.

Just like you can't buy gernades in gunstores or shows you can't buy rifles that will convert to full auto without major machine work. Even ammo is in short supply and expensive in the US but anyone with any connections can get it cheap from Europe, SE Asia or even the Mid East.

This just sounds like liberal drivel used to justify new gun laws here. Buy a nice rifle or pistol and go to a range, meet nice people and find out what firearms ownership is really about.

Posted by diogenesthedog on May 8, 2009 12:51 ET

I work on the border and actually, this account fits pretty well with conversations I've had with people involved with the Narcos. Also, if you look at the patterns of weapon confiscations, they correspond to the interviewee's descriptions of weapons caches. Serial numbers of confiscated weapons almost always lead back to a US point of sale. As a gun owner in the US this is a sad reality. I agree with Kentvander that there are good people in shooting clubs and at ranges in the US, but there are also a lot of baddies taking advantage of our Constitutional Right to bear arms. A real shame.

Posted by spooky926 on May 11, 2009 13:08 ET

I don't think the conversion from semi-auto to full auto is that difficult. According to this: http://www.scribd.com/doc/6996244/Firearms-FullAuto-Conversion-Colt-Ar15..., it only takes an hour and minimal materials and tools to make something called a Lightning Link, and only a few seconds to install it to make the conversion for an AR-15. My ATF colleagues also assure me this conversion is not difficult at all.

Posted by Lex desde Texas on May 8, 2009 12:34 ET

I know little about weaponry...but I do follow news in English about Mexico...and this is the first interview I've
read...with revelations from a former Mexican special forces/Zeta foot soldier.

Congratulations...for revealing new information about a pivotal aspect of Mexico's tragic and dangerous drug wars.

Lex Wadelski

Posted by RRmike on May 9, 2009 07:16 ET

What a load, no one walks into a gun store and walks out with a M-16, even in Texas. The Mexican Army would be my first choice as to a source of weapons and shooters for these cartels.

Posted by b79holmes on May 12, 2009 20:38 ET

To me this interview seems very self serving to an anti-gun American press. A reporter in the (in general) anti-gun American press has the chance to interview a Mexican drug cartel insider and all he can ask about is the 'American' source of firearms?

What do these cartels make, like a million dollars a second? And implied in this article is that the success of these organized gangs is American firearms?

I do not own an EBR (Evil Black Rile) myself but I do notice the hit man most always differentiates between an AR15 (civilian semi-auto) and M16 (military full auto). If the guy is ex-Mexican military he should certainly know the difference.

These cartels have totally corrupted the local Mexican Police, have the civilian courts on the run and the Mexican military has to be brought in to continue the fight. How can anyone believe that these guys can't get any weapon they want from anywhere. I won't even bring up grenades!!! I must keep missing those at my local Walmart/sporting goods store/gun shop.

Posted by center46 on May 13, 2009 18:43 ET

Sorry, but this story is just not believable. Hand grenades bought on the internet and shipped to Mexico City? Full auto weapons being bought in bulk in the US and smuggled across the border? This is the stuff of movies and television melodramas, not reality.

Ask Mr. Bensman to try purchasing several items like these in Texas or anywhere else in the US. I'll wait patiently for his "story."