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| Iraq-Jordan |
| IWPR: Gunrunning Out of Iraq and Into SA |
| 2004-08-04 |
| EFL Iraqi arms dealers have no shortage of domestic clients, but their latest and most lucrative market is Saudi Arabia, where increased demand for small arms has caused a spike in prices inside Iraq. Abu Ahmed, an elderly man from Baghdad, has an eclectic local clientele for his gunrunning business, finding buyers among northern Kurds and southern Shia, as well as Sunnis from Fallujah and western Iraq. "I make a lot of money easily," said Abu Ahmed, talking to an IWPR reporter posing as a buyer. He attributes the booming Saudi market to recent attacks by Islamic militants there, which he said have undermined confidence in the Kingdom's ability to provide security or prevent even ordinary crimes such as kidnappings. The dealer described a smuggling pipeline involving multiple participants. The starting point comes when Abu Ahmed's family approaches other dealers in Iraq to purchase arms. One favoured weapon is the Browning pistol, which can be bought on the domestic market for 400,000 dinars, or 270 US dollars, and eventually sold to a Saudi arms trader for 700,000 dinars, about 500 dollars. Abu Ahmed and his sons transport their cargo southwards via the Shia holy city of Karbala. They use an old car and they fly banners from the windows to make the authorities think they are pilgrims. -snip- more details at the link Interesting, it makes economic sense that the guns and ammo would become a commodity for export trade with the way Sadaam had loaded up the country with weapons. I feel bad for the Saudis. |
| Posted by:Super Hose |
| #2 I wonder if Westerners in S.A. are tooling up. A Browning pistol in the top drawer of the desk would be a good thing to have. |
| Posted by: Grunter 2004-08-04 3:44:47 PM |
| #1 I feel bad for the Saudis. That makes one of us. |
| Posted by: Raj 2004-08-04 12:29:34 PM |