ATF data shows 70% of guns seized in Mexico can be traced to U.S.

SAN ANTONIO - Gunfire, killings and bloodshed in the streets of Mexico can be a common occurrence. But gun laws in that country make it virtually impossible for private citizens to own firearms of ammunition.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, about 70% of weapons seized in Mexico between 2009 and 2014 can be traced back to the United States. That's more than 73,000 weapons.

ATF data also shows most were purchased legally in gun shops and gun shows in the U.S.

A high-ranking Mexican official recently sat down with investigative reporter Yami Virgin to talk about the smuggling operations that take guns from the United States and into Mexico.