"AK-47 Off The Mean Streets" in L.A.?

[pulicords]

The L.A. Daily News posted the above headline on page A7 of the 07/25/2008 edition, along with a photograph depicting a Special Agent from ATF, a (deputy) U.S. Attorney and Los Angeles City Attorney Rock Delgadillo posing with two rifles. Unfortunately, the three were mistaken about their "catch." The proclaimed "AK-47s" shown to the press were both 1940's era SKS rifles, not the assault weapons "banned" by state law. (SKS rifles are still legal to purchase and possess.)

Although the primary suspect was a convicted felon who is alleged to have been selling weapons (unlawfully) and narcotics, with the above information released to the press I wonder how good of a case they have against the bulk of those arrested. Statement from the U.S. Attorney: "During the investigation, an undercover operative bought assault rifles like AK-47s and M-16s -- weapons of war that have no place in the hands of criminal gangsters," U.S. Attorney Thomas O'Brien said in a statement.

Of the "38 arrested gang members" charged with weapons and drug violations, I'm curious how many will be released because the "contraband" guns seized weren't possessed in violation of state law, how many will get those same weapons returned to them and how many will sue for false arrest. Additionally, how can Delgadillo and others demand new laws restricting firearms, when they are apparently unable to properly enforce current ones?

Link with more info: http://www.dailynews.com/search/ci_9....dailynews.com

[mtxpro752]

Even if the guns were not assault weapons these knuckleheads could still be charged with the conspiracy to sell firearms without a license charge as the article indicated, also it said many of the persons were also arrested on narco sales charges etc. Even though the guns in the picture may not have been Ak's doesn't mean that they didn't get any or the paper didn't miscaption the picture.

I seriously don't think that the ATF would kill a 3 yr investigation on something that stupid.

[pulicords]

According to the article: Following an eight-month investigation, officers arrested 25 defendants Wednesday on various federal, state and immigration offenses, Mrozek said. The operation also resulted in the seizure of two firearms, drugs and cash, he said. The two weapons pictured were both SKS rifles.

Delgadillo, LAPD Chief Bratton, the Mayor and City Council are notorious for "sexing up" seizures like this immediately after a terrible incident like the shooting of the eight year old girl that occurred the day before. It's easier and less expensive to blame "random gun violence" and "assault weapons" than to thoroughly investigate and prosecute gang members.

When the U.S. Attorney makes the quoted statement, at the same time those two weapons are being displayed, the public has every reason to question the quality of the investigation.

[IMachU]

I have purchased vintage Soviet SKS rifles at Big 5, no waiting period, and they are not part of the AW ban. They are considered "relic firearms," which is why I didn't have to wait 2 weeks and no BG check. I also bought a Soviet Mosin-Nagant M44, again with no waiting period and no BG check. Both rifles were under $100. They also have folding affixed bayonets.

[pulicords]

Please turn yourself in to the nearest LAPD station, so "Rocky" can file a misdemeanor "Assault Weapon" violation on you. You should be ashamed of yourself, engaging in such criminal conduct!

Wow, two firearms seized and it didn't even take eight months to do the investigation!

[IMachU]

Hahahaha....I live on the other side of the Orange Curtain. God help him if he tried to take the rifles...but then again, he just took 2 guns off the street, so that should hold him until reelection time.

[417Lt]

8 months? I have to blow my own horn. Including writing the report and cleaning these things I had about 8 hours into this caper:

And as usual I was alone.

[pulicords]

Wow!!! Good job for eight hours work. And you didn't even need to fund a task force, get an injunction or lobby for any new laws to do it! I see that in addition to an AK-47, you also recovered a couple of Nagants, two SKS "Assault Weapons" (Not) and a bolt action "intermediate sniper rifle" (latest definition by the Violence Policy Center)! Deer poachers?

[IMachU]

Looks like my Nagant and SKS. Nice rifles! And I can tell you that the Nagant, in 7.62X54R will throw a flame out the muzzle about 3'!! It's a dang flamethrower!! I just hate to use old Soviet corrosive-primer ammo.

SWEET haul, Lt!!!!!

[417Lt]

Wow!!! Good job for eight hours work. And you didn't even need to fund a task force, get an injunction or lobby for any new laws to do it! I see that in addition to an AK-47, you also recovered a couple of Nagants, two SKS "Assault Weapons" (Not) and a bolt action "intermediate sniper rifle" (latest definition by the Violence Policy Center)! Deer poachers?

They were looking to poach a bear, I'm thinking. 7 men in 2 open trucks up in the local hills. It's hard to make out but the white bag at the bottom of the pic has a big kitchen knife and a shoestring with it. The shoestring ties off the gall bladder so you don't lose any bile when you cut it from the liver. It's worth more than cocaine when it's dried and put to market in Aisia.
A couple of the defendants were deported back to China with one of the remaining guys paying everyone's fines for them as well as thier plane tickets home.
Many of these criminals and gang members pride themselves on their manly-man / outdoor skills. Even if they are not hunters or fishermen they like to bring their guns up to the hills to play with them. And when they get stupid, there we are- no task forces needed.

[pulicords]

Big money in poaching I guess. Since these suspects were apparently Chinese, I guess they were using weapons they were familiar with? What (if any) kind of time did they get? If they were planning on exporting the gall bladder(s), could you file on the suspects federally?

[417Lt]

Big money in poaching I guess. Since these suspects were apparently Chinese, I guess they were using weapons they were familiar with? What (if any) kind of time did they get? If they were planning on exporting the gall bladder(s), could you file on the suspects federally?

The main player was a very well known Chinese-language talk show host. And he had a lawyer to match his income. Ultimately, all I could charge them with was working the spotlight while in possession of weapons, and having loaded weapons in a vehicle on a public road. I couldn't get the DA to go the conspiracy route as the facts of these guy's associations weren't known for quite some time after the case was done. The picture painted in court was that these poor guys got lost after an afternoon of target shooting and were just trying to get back to their base camp. The road was covered with snow which was why they were going so slow and sweeping the spotlight beams all around.
I got their guns forfeited, I got their dignity, and the system was $21K richer at the end of the day. I should have asked for restitution for the underwear I was wearing that night too though.

[DOAcop38]

Please turn yourself in to the nearest LAPD station, so "Rocky" can file a misdemeanor "Assault Weapon" violation on you. You should be ashamed of yourself, engaging in such criminal conduct!

Wow, two firearms seized and it didn't even take eight months to do the investigation!

Yeah, but if your his "sancha" you can drive DUI ,get tickets and endanger peoples lives with a 3,000 lb vehicle ( cars with bad and illegal drivers KILL more foolks yrly than any gun violation) .you know whats ironic ??? the SKS rifle is actually MORE accurate than the Chinese MAK 90( the most widely sold AK variant in this country),less prone to stoppages,and like you said Puli- still sold openly in many guns stores in So.and No .calif- can go right over to turners Outdoorsman in Redondo bch and buy one(two)- also ,its still NOT that hard to remove the 5 and ten rd max box from the rifle and re install a 30 rd mag into the gun

Now lets see if ol'rocky "the homeboy" does MORE than just give these clowns "probation"( revolving door punishment)

[DOAcop38]

8 months? I have to blow my own horn. Including writing the report and cleaning these things I had about 8 hours into this caper:

And as usual I was alone.

and to think that the avg "southbay cop" near where I am ( inglewood and Hawthorne/Gardena PDs excepted) hardly get more than a cheap .380 cal lorcin pistol(recently my airport guys and the CHP, got a drunk asian gangmember witha shotgun in the backseat of his car and SP***ED out when they found out they couldn't arrest him for the weapon 'cause it wasn't loaded)-but of "course", compared to a lowly DFG guy,they are "real hardcore coppers"

good "hook" though- these guys were out doing some illegal hunting,and would have probably hurt someone...

[DOAcop38]

Also- the moisin - nagant rifles in the photos look like the 39/ "44" models( short rifles) that 7.62 x 54R rd is a definitely good "kicker" rd and the ammo is relatively cheap- you can by a c+ quality rifle for about $75 bucks and I suggest keeping it around as a " in case it goes to heck / Ca slips off the continent and chaos reigns " gun.........