Politixia
Top law enforcement officials from the US and Canada met to discuss combatting the opioid crisis and reducing firearms trafficking across the border. The second Canada-U.S. Cross-Border Crime Forum was hosted by Canada’s Minister of Public Safety Marco Mendicino and Minister of Justice and Attorney General David Lametti, with U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas in attendance. The leaders prioritized finding and taking off the street ghost guns, which have been an issue in both countries. They also focused on targeting illegal guns and using every tool available to combat gun trafficking. The officials emphasized the importance of partnership and shared responsibility in ensuring the security and prosperity of North America.
According to a report from ABC News, top law enforcement officials from the United States and Canada met on Friday to discuss ways to combat the opioid crisis and reduce firearms trafficking across the border. The meeting was held in Ottawa and was hosted by Canada’s Minister of Public Safety Marco Mendicino and Minister of Justice and Attorney General David Lametti. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas were also in attendance.
During the meeting, the officials discussed the importance of working together to combat the opioid crisis, which has been a major issue in both the United States and Canada. They also focused on finding and taking off the street ghost guns, which have become a major problem in both countries. Ghost guns are firearms that are assembled from kits and do not have serial numbers, making them difficult to trace and regulate.
“We’re going to increase our ability to trace illegal guns,” Mendicino said in an interview with ABC News. “We’re going to increase our capacity to go after ghost guns, which use 3d technology to evade the law, and we’re going to increase joint operations on both sides of the border.”
Garland also emphasized the importance of targeting illegal guns. “The Justice Department is using every tool at our disposal to combat gun trafficking and hold accountable those who flood our communities with illegal guns,” he said.
The meeting was the second Canada-U.S. Cross-Border Crime Forum, which was created to address issues related to cross-border crime. Mayorkas noted that it was his first official visit to Ottawa as secretary and emphasized the importance of the relationship between the United States and Canada.
“It is vitally important when two countries are neighbors that they also be partners,” Mayorkas said at a press conference after the meeting. “The security and prosperity of North America is a shared responsibility. The American people and Canadians are also friends.”
The officials also discussed ways to improve cooperation between law enforcement agencies in both countries. They emphasized the importance of joint operations and sharing intelligence to combat cross-border crime.
In view of all the above, the meeting was seen as a positive step towards addressing issues related to cross-border crime, including the opioid crisis and firearms trafficking. The officials emphasized the importance of working together to combat these issues and improve the safety and security of both countries.
President Joe Biden and the Department of Justice announced a measure last April that would keep untraceable guns off of the streets and out of the hands of those who are prohibited by law from possessing a firearm. This meeting shows that both the United States and Canada are committed to working together to address this issue and other related issues.
