The alleged gunrunners' business model, outlined in the indictment, revealed that the enterprise did not seem particularly profitable.
The men earned $100 to $150 for each gun they sold in Maryland, and they complained about incidental charges, like a $415 flight from Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport to Alabama. At one point, Castillo said he had lost money on a gun deal and requested an extra $200 from a federal informant. In another instance, Gomez-Zapata haggled for a $25 down payment on two weapons.
"It is a thin market," said Ludwig. "It is surprisingly un-lucrative compared to drugs."
Putting pressure on gun traffickers is effective in part because, compared with the illegal drug market, there are far fewer buyers and sellers, he said. Fear of prosecution could scare some sellers from participating, and criminals could have a hard time finding new suppliers.
"It is hard for buyers and sellers to make a connection," he said. "If I am going to buy a gun on the illegal market, I am going to a meeting and the other party knows that I have cash. I have to have some confidence that the person I am buying a gun from is not a cop and is not going to hold me up."
annie.linskey@baltsun.com
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