"Judge rebuffs effort to postpone Mexico's lawsuit vs. Arizona gun dealers", 27 January 2025

A federal judge has rejected a motion to stay a lawsuit against five Arizona gun stores, allowing the suit filed by the Mexican government to move forward while a similar action waits on a U.S. Supreme Court decision.

On Monday, U.S. District Judge Rosemary Marquez denied a motion by attorneys for the stores—Diamondback Shooting Sports, SnG Tactical, Ammo AZ, Sprague's Sports and The Hub— who sought to delay the suit by arguing the U.S. Supreme Court was reviewing a "closely related case."

More than three years ago, the Mexican government launched two separate lawsuits designed to limit gun trafficking.

The first suit was filed against gun manufacturers as well a Boston-area wholesaler in August 2021, and argued weapons made by U.S. companies move through "operación hormiga," or an "ant operation," as people purchase small numbers of firearms through straw purchases in gun stores — including stores in Tucson and Phoenix — and smuggle the weapons into Mexico.

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The following October, lawyers with the Tucson firm DeConcini McDonald Yetwin & Lacy filed the suit against the stores in Arizona, claiming they "systematically participate in trafficking military-style weapons and ammunition to drug cartels in Mexico by supplying gun traffickers."

The lawsuit by Mexico was the first brought by a sovereign nation against U.S. gun dealers …

The Supreme Court accepted the first case last year, and will hold oral arguments on March 4.

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On Monday, Marquez wrote in a four-page decision she expects the Supreme Court to decide on the case by June 2025 when the current term ends. …