Operation Fast and Furious and Operation Castaway in Honduras

October 2, 2012

Q: What was Operation Fast and Furious?

A: Operation Fast and Furious was a law enforcement operation conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) in 2009.  It was intended to stem the flow of firearms  into Mexico by interdicting straw purchasers and gun traffickers in the United States.  The goal of allowing these purchases was to continue to track the firearms as they were transferred to higher-level traffickers and key figures in Mexican cartels.

Q: Have any weapons connected to the U.S. operation Fast and Furious been found in Honduras?

A: To this date, no firearms recovered in Honduras and submitted to ATF for tracing have been tied to the Fast and Furious investigation.

Q: What was Operation Castaway?

A: In September 2010, the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) concluded Operation Castaway, a successful law enforcement operation that resulted in the arrest and conviction of international arms traffickers.  The operation began as an investigation of an unlicensed firearms dealer and resulted in the arrest and conviction of the unlicensed dealer as well as international arms traffickers.  The convicted men were residents of the United States and Honduras.

Q: Did U.S. law enforcement agents knowingly permit the illegal shipment of firearms to Honduras as part of Operation Castaway?

A: No.  At no point during Operation Castaway did U.S. law enforcement officials allow illegally purchased firearms to be shipped to Honduras.  Specific information about the destination of weapons exported by this criminal group to Honduras was not determined until after the defendants were arrested and the investigation was concluded.