The result of a rule change meant to combat straw purchasers.
The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms have opened over 100 criminal investigations after a rule change forces gun stores in Border States to report customers who buy two or more large rifles.
Franceska Perot with the ATF says the rule change happened as part of an effort to crack down on gun running in Texas, Arizona and California. As straw purchasers for Mexican drug cartels typically purchase high caliber rifles.
"ATF started requiring firearms deals to start sending us reports on multiple sales of long gun, previously we only received reports on handguns," says Perot.
Perot says that recently the rule change has triggered an investigation into 123 cases in Texas which otherwise would've gone unnoticed.
Lawrence Keane with the National Shooting Sports Foundation meanwhile opposes the new requirement, and his organization is suing the ATF over it.
"If ATF can ask these 8700 dealers for this piece of information... there is no piece of information ATF cannot ask any licensee for, says Keane
More Rifle purchases happen in Texas than in any other state.
