A bill on its way to Texas Gov. Rick Perry will help crack down on gun smuggling from Texas to Mexico, Attorney General Greg Abbott told the Houston Chronicle. The measure is intended to prevent drug cartels from obtaining weapons that have fueled recent violence and instability in Mexico. While illegal gun trafficking is already a federal crime, the bill's authors said they hope the legislation will give state authorities more tools to fight the problem, too.
The bill will create a “firearm smuggling” offense, which, in cases involving several guns, could be punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The law would apply only to people who knowingly transport illegal guns more than once for profit. It would also allow authorities to seize any property associated with the crime.