source: jointogether.org

Most Crimes in Puerto Rico Linked to Illegal Weapons
8/30/2004

Testifying before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee of Public Integrity, Pio Rechani Lopez, the executive director of the Institute of Forensic Science, said most of the crimes in Puerto Rico are committed with illegal and stolen weapons, the Associated Press reported Aug. 27.

"There are illegal weapons arriving from other countries or the United States that enter the island as contraband that are more used for these types of crimes. The majority of the firearms used in murders and crimes are assault weapons, like the AR-15 or the AK-47," Rechani Lopez said.

Rechani Lopez said it's difficult to monitor the flow of illegal weapons into Puerto Rico because some assault weapons illegally entering the island are obtained legally in states like Kentucky and Texas.

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