With associates positioned within the United States military, gang members have taken advantage of opportunities to acquire military-grade weapons, such as assault rifles, grenades, and body armor, according to a recent report from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) National Gang Intelligence Center.
The FBI recently reported that “gang members are getting their hands on a variety of military grade weapons including rifles, grenades, artillery rounds and even body armor,” notes the Victorville (Calif.) Daily Press. Military members loyal to gangs assist in these efforts, sometimes stealing ammunition. “It’s easy to say you fired 10 rounds when you only actually fired eight or six,” one former Marine and ex-gang member told the Daily Press. He also said that “It’s a lot harder to get firearms and rifles off a base but artillery rounds aren’t that difficult.”
The Daily Press reported, for example, that gang members are suspected of having stolen 27 AK-47’s from a California army facility. “Those close to the case who would only speak under the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the subject,” said the local paper, “said investigators believe gang members were involved in the theft.”
In a report last month, the FBI acknowledged that “gang infiltration of the military continues to pose a significant criminal threat.” An Army spokesman said, however, that “regarding gangs in general, we continue to educate our community, both soldiers and civilians, so that all can recognize and report suspected gang activity,”
