[MH] Caribbean by Night

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by ericthered

I don't know the specific answers to your questions [EDIT: that's question three], but in my experience, gun dealers in the US are chatty people. They sell an expensive item that requires paperwork (and therefore standing around), and by buying a gun you're joining a community. They hope to see you as a repeat customer after you shoot off all that ammo. So they're going to strike up a friendly conversation and ask if you're starting up a shooting range or running a competition or what not. You should have a cover story prepared. It doesn't need to be extensive or anything, but you should have one, because its likely to come up.

Indeed so.

It would be far easier to obtain these weapons over a period of a few days or even weeks, spreading out the purchases over multiple stores and multiple straw purchasers. This is a given and how criminal enterprises, at least those run by reasonably careful and successful criminals, usually deal with such matters of logistics. Or, you know, just don't do stuff that requires stockpiles of weapons and ammunition that makes people nervous, because that's bad for business.

But, obviously, PCs have stuck their nose into some intricate and extremely important matters that are highly time-sensitive and involve not only financial assets worth hundreds of millions of dollars, but the risk of extremely unpleasant fates for any of the people who were responsible for a hypothetical failure.

So people whose day-to-day jobs may be technically illegal, but not particularly violent, have had a rather rude shock. And after a night spent frantically communicating with various business partners and extremely terrifying 'allies', it was decided that some foreign-born people with specific skills would be dispatched from their usual stomping grounds in California to Texas and that a Dallas-based cover company was supposed to meet them and support them.

Now, what the Dallas-based company does is very important and profitable, but any violence happens, if at all, on other continents. And the people who work there are salesmen, accountants, logistics chain managers and other white collar office workers. With the exception of a few travelling buyers, who might have some experience of places in Africa or South America where they have to employ bodyguards to feel safe, not many of them will have personal experience of heavily armed people.

The group of specialists who will be coming in will not be carrying weapons on their plane. Theoretically, someone could drive from Los Angeles with a full truck of weapons, but that is not something anyone volunteers to do, for a number of reasons.

First of all, because that's a long, long drive and anyone who did that would not be able to start scouting and providing security in the afternoon, they'd arrive tired and stiff at some time around midnight, at best. Second, because it's not as if they have many firearms in California that they can't get in Texas. Third, because, for crying out loud, if the LA partners are sending a team of experts, the least the Dallas partners can do is taking care of basic logistics.

No one in Dallas who is privy to what is going on has much desire to be linked to the weapons they provide to their partners. They suspect that the police may make a fairly determined effort to track down weapons that will fire a number of bullets in the near future and they'd rather not that their names should pop up when investigators start looking for suspicious purchases close in time to whatever is going to happen.

Which led them to convincing a failed Dallas commodities trader who has done some underhanded business with them before, and who owes money he cannot repay, to purchase the firearms. Without, obviously, telling him why or anything else, except that to discus their part in this would be unwise and that to fail them would be even unwiser.

As the partners in Dallas were themselves terrified, they succeeded in making their agent fairly nervous, but as he eventually realized that refusal might entail a terminal penalty, the straw purchaser eventually agreed to buy the weapons and ammunition in exchange for the cancellation of his debt and the promise of 1 kg in gold next month, provided he sticks to a cover story and informs no one.

What would be a plausible cover story for the poor nervous purchaser to relate? The partners in Dallas are actually fairly adept at straw purchases and dishonest business dealings*, so the story doesn't have to be amateurish, though obviously the time pressure and the reluctant straw purchaser represent somewhat less than ideal operational security.

Suggestions for something plausible they can claim to be doing?

*Though more usually with precious metals and other commodities than weaponry.

[adm]

I typed this while Icelander was posting.

Originally Posted by Icelander

After reviewing federal gun legislation and Texas state law, I cannot find any legal obstacle to a US citizen walking into a gun store in Dallas when it opens in the morning and walking out with eight to twelve high-capacity semi-automatic tactical rifles, 30-50 rifle magazines, 1,000-5,000 rounds of FMJ ammunition for the rifles and eight to twelve high-capacity pistols in 9x19mm or more, before the clock strikes twelve noon.

There might, however, be practical problems.

I'd like some people to weigh in who actually live in the US (in a perfect world, maybe even in Texas), might have purchased firearms there and be aware how clerks in a gun store might react to such a purchase.

I'm from Missouri, there are regional differences, but this should be close enough.

Originally Posted by Icelander

1) First of all, are there any rules, official or unofficial, on how many firearms one may purchase at once? This purchase, after all, looks very much like something a dealer should be doing, what with all the identical weapons, not likely to be something a private individual means to use personally.

Not really, some militia type groups will make large identical purchases. Some states do have some limits on numbers, I seriously doubt Texas is one.

Originally Posted by Icelander

2) The background check, as far as I can tell, should be finished in a few minutes in most cases. What with this having every appearance of a straw purchase, might it take longer?

Not on the ATF end, some stores only want to make cash, no questions asked. Other stores will be more cautious, and suspicious.

Originally Posted by Icelander

3) Would the average gun store clerk ask questions about why the customer wanted to buy so many functionally identical weapons, instead of, if he were buying for his own use, a collection that had more varied capabilities or could be used for a greater number of activities?

Some stores only want to make cash, no questions asked. Other stores will be more cautious, and suspicious.

Originally Posted by Icelander

4) Does any gun store in Dallas even have that many identical rifles in stock or would the customer leave with a selection of basically similar guns, but made by several different companies?

I haven't been to Dallas since 1984, but yes, I am sure that there are several such stores.

Originally Posted by Icelander

4a) Specifically, I know that AR-15 rifles are highly popular, but could the customer get 8-12 US-made semi-automatic AK-pattern rifles without a special order in advance? Like, if he wanted 8-12 Century Arms C39V2 rifles immediately, do they tell him that they'd have to order them, or does anyone have them in stock in Dallas?

Probably, it just depends on what sells in a given area, based on the size of the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, someone will carry them, likely in large enough numbers for what you want on the shelf. The bigger question is, will they be carried in a "stores only want to make cash, no questions asked" business. I will note that five or six guys in different stores can easily make these purchases and very likely not raise any alarm bells.

Originally Posted by Icelander

5) Would the store clerk call the police or notify anyone?

It depends, all store clerks have a right to say no, if you raise alarm bells even those stores that "only want to make cash, no questions asked" will turn you down, and even alert authorities on occasion. A big enough incident with firearms sold from your store can still end your business.

Originally Posted by Icelander

6) On a scale of 'meh' to 'rings all the mental alarms', how is it likely that the clerk would react to having the customer offer to pay in cash for the whole order?

There isn't really a clear line here, some militia type groups only work in cash, to avoid <insert conspiracy theory of choice>.

Originally Posted by Icelander

7) Any suggestions on how the person charged with obtaining these weapons in a few hours should go about it if he wants to avoid police attention or being put on some kind of watchlist?

Not really, as long as the buyer does not ring any "He's a terrorist" bells.

Originally Posted by Icelander

Grumble, grumble, grumble, when I try to access the websites of Dallas-based gun stores, many of them block me with the message that 'This website is for US-customers only'.

Interesting.

[Apollonian]

Originally Posted by Icelander

What would be a plausible cover story for the poor nervous purchaser to relate? The partners in Dallas are actually fairly adept at straw purchases and dishonest business dealings*, so the story doesn't have to be amateurish, though obviously the time pressure and the reluctant straw purchaser represent somewhat less than ideal operational security.

Suggestions for something plausible they can claim to be doing?

*Though more usually with precious metals and other commodities than weaponry.

"Look, my boss has a bunch of his clients from (insert country with strict gun control laws) flying in this afternoon, and he wants to do a proper Texas barbecue with shootin' and hollerin' for 'em. He gave me this list and if I don't get this stuff out to his ranch by two pee em, my ass is toast. Can you help me out?"

It seems like the kind of story a nervous white collar guy could sell to a clerk - we've all had unreasonable bosses, and appealing to "Texas Gun Pride" seems like a decent angle. To lend a bit of plausibility, he'd probably look to buy two or three kinds of rifle and handgun if necessary, though I think he'd try to make sure they fired compatible ammo. (And for gravy, if he chats a bit too much with the clerk, he might let slip a few details about his actual bosses as he embroiders the tale...)

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by Apollonian

"Look, my boss has a bunch of his clients from (insert country with strict gun control laws) flying in this afternoon, and he wants to do a proper Texas barbecue with shootin' and hollerin' for 'em. He gave me this list and if I don't get this stuff out to his ranch by two pee em, my ass is toast. Can you help me out?"

Extremely ironically, this is pretty much the truth.

Granted, the "proper Texas barbeque with shootin' and hollerin'" will not take place on a ranch and it will most likely be substantially less legal than implied, but otherwise, spot on.

Leonard M. Carillo, the straw purchaser, officially does business on his own account, as the owner of Lone Wolf Wealth Planning Inc., but with the existence of the debt and all, the owners of Eldorado Commodities Inc. are effectively his bosses. Some of the owners of Eldorado Commodities are US citizens and some of them are resident aliens with work permits, but they are mostly born in Bolivia and Peru.

The people flying in and arriving at noon actually are clients from Peru and Bolivia. That is, they represent a partner organisation whose owners are both suppliers of various things to Eldorado Commodities Inc. and customers who receive gold and other commodities in return.

Even more ironically, no one wants the cover story to mention Bolivia or Peru, nor, really, the straw purchaser having bosses who have connections to these countries. But some variation of this story, mentioning different countries and pretending to have an non-existent boss who remains unnamed and his ethnicity goes unspecified, could very well work.

Originally Posted by Apollonian

It seems like the kind of story a nervous white collar guy could sell to a clerk - we've all had unreasonable bosses, and appealing to "Texas Gun Pride" seems like a decent angle. To lend a bit of plausibility, he'd probably look to buy two or three kinds of rifle and handgun if necessary, though I think he'd try to make sure they fired compatible ammo. (And for gravy, if he chats a bit too much with the clerk, he might let slip a few details about his actual bosses as he embroiders the tale...)

The rifles all need to use the same magazines, either M16/AR-15 compatible or one specific AK-pattern one. Aside from that, which is a requirement a manager* with Eldorado Commodities insisted on, Leonard Carillo neither knows nor cares about what type they are. He was told to buy AKs** if he could get many enough, but if he could not get many enough that used the same pattern of magazine, then just go with AR-15s.

Magazine compatibility for the pistols is less important, as no one is imagining that reloads for those will be terribly significant and, in any case, anyone who wants to carry spare magazines for those can worry about compatibility for his own weapon.

*One who has not always been the kind of white-collar executive he is now and, in fact, used to buy gold and other commodities from very shady people in dangerous areas of the world.
**The clients are slightly more likely to be familiar with them, from experience in Bolivian, Peru and Venezuela.

[Apollonian]

Originally Posted by Icelander

Extremely ironically, this is pretty much the truth.

The very best kind of lie, then.

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by Apollonian

The very best kind of lie, then.

Especially for the PCs during their investigation, as I've rolled for it and ol' Leonard obviously went and accidentally told the truth about where the clients were from, when he panicked during the routine chat with the clerk.

Of course, Mr. Carillo's life expectancy might be shorter than he suspects. He is quite unlikely to actually receive the gold he was promised, but at least he won't have to worry about the debt any more.

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by adm

Not really, some militia type groups will make large identical purchases. Some states do have some limits on numbers, I seriously doubt Texas is one.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by adm

Probably, it just depends on what sells in a given area, based on the size of the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, someone will carry them, likely in large enough numbers for what you want on the shelf. The bigger question is, will they be carried in a "stores only want to make cash, no questions asked" business. I will note that five or six guys in different stores can easily make these purchases and very likely not raise any alarm bells.

Absolutely.

The problem is that it was near dawn when the guys at Eldorado Commodities were told that they needed to have this ready at noon, when the experts would land. They didn't really have all that much time to find someone to be a straw purchaser and convince him to do it. Trying to find and convince five or six guys (who weren't already on record working for them) would have been impossible in the time they had.

Originally Posted by adm

It depends, all store clerks have a right to say no, if you raise alarm bells even those stores that "only want to make cash, no questions asked" will turn you down, and even alert authorities on occasion. A big enough incident with firearms sold from your store can still end your business.

Given the time constraints and the fact that only Leonard Carillo is available to be the straw purchaser, is it more or less suspicious to go to several stores?

I mean, Leonard is dimly aware that he might be asked questions later and while he has accepted the assurances that he isn't doing anything illegal and if he just sticks to the cover story, he'll be fine, but he's probably smart enough to realise that it's very hard for any cover story will explain going to multiple gun stores.

His handlers don't mean for him to give any cover story to detectives who might eventually investigate, of course, but they'd prefer whichever method is less likely to lead detectives to investigate the life and connections of Leonard Carillo thoroughly.

Originally Posted by adm

There isn't really a clear line here, some militia type groups only work in cash, to avoid <insert conspiracy theory of choice>.

The bill will come to over a year's pay for a shop clerk (it's over $20,000, maybe even around $25,000-30,000). That's a pretty big bill to pay in cash.

I was at a drug store earlier and the person in front of me paid cash. As the counter clerk tried to figure out how to solve it, the person nervously said: "I guess you don't get a lot of people paying cash." The counter clerk agreed and we all joked about only drug dealers carrying cash around. That was for something that would be maybe $20 in the US.

Sure, I guess there are more people in the US who pay cash for perfectly legitimate reasons, but does anyone really pay for something that costs as much as a new car in cash? I mean, anyone who isn't doing something that the clerk probably knows well enough he should be reporting?

Originally Posted by adm

Not really, as long as the buyer does not ring any "He's a terrorist" bells.

I'd have thought you also had to worry about "He's a potential spree shooter" and "He's buying this as a straw purchaser for a gang or drug cartel" alarm bells.

Which, unfortunately, a sweating, nervous guy in his late thirties who clearly knows nothing about guns might do. I mean, sure, he's slightly better dressed and probably several shades paler than the average small-time crook acting as a straw purchaser for Mexican cartels, but other than that, he does seem pretty suspicious.

Which the people acting as his handlers will realise, but they don't have time for an alternate plan. They do have maybe half an hour to coach him on a plausible cover story.

[Apollonian]

Originally Posted by Icelander

Which the people acting as his handlers will realise, but they don't have time for an alternate plan. They do have maybe half an hour to coach him on a plausible cover story.

One rather important question: Do his handlers have a good store or two to point him at? It sounds like they should be aware of, or at least have connections to people who are aware of, which gun stores in the area are likely to suit their needs. Which stores have connections to militia groups, however tenuous? Which stores are strictly for the hunting sort? Etc.

[adm]

Originally Posted by Icelander

...Given the time constraints and the fact that only Leonard Carillo is available to be the straw purchaser, is it more or less suspicious to go to several stores?...

At the store level it will make cash buying slightly less suspicious, but is more likely to get noticed by the ATF on the background check. A bunch of sales to the same ID, as opposes to a single large one will likely look more suspicious. Have sufficiently good fake IDs, and, based on your other statements, a soon to be dead Leonard Carillo, making several small purchases may work better. Another thought, some people will stock pile arms now thinking that they will become illegal later. Stockpiling the same model for part swapping will make sense.

Originally Posted by Icelander

The bill will come to over a year's pay for a shop clerk (it's over $20,000, maybe even around $25,000-30,000). That's a pretty big bill to pay in cash.

I was at a drug store earlier and the person in front of me paid cash. As the counter clerk tried to figure out how to solve it, the person nervously said: "I guess you don't get a lot of people paying cash." The counter clerk agreed and we all joked about only drug dealers carrying cash around. That was for something that would be maybe $20 in the US.

Sure, I guess there are more people in the US who pay cash for perfectly legitimate reasons, but does anyone really pay for something that costs as much as a new car in cash? I mean, anyone who isn't doing something that the clerk probably knows well enough he should be reporting?

Firearms owners that stray into the "gun nut-survivalist-militia types" can be very odd about using credit cards or checks. IF the store has a large clientele of the right sub-type, they might not look twice if you paid in gold or silver bars. They are also more likely to be the "no questions asked type".

Originally Posted by Icelander

I'd have thought you also had to worry about "He's a potential spree shooter" and "He's buying this as a straw purchaser for a gang or drug cartel" alarm bells.

Which, unfortunately, a sweating, nervous guy in his late thirties who clearly knows nothing about guns might do. I mean, sure, he's slightly better dressed and probably several shades paler than the average small-time crook acting as a straw purchaser for Mexican cartels, but other than that, he does seem pretty suspicious.

Which the people acting as his handlers will realise, but they don't have time for an alternate plan. They do have maybe half an hour to coach him on a plausible cover story.

Depends on how the nervousness comes across, make the right statements about liberal gun control at a store that caters to the above mention "gun nut-survivalist-militia types", and they may not tell the cops what they know even after a spree shooting.

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by Apollonian

One rather important question: Do his handlers have a good store or two to point him at? It sounds like they should be aware of, or at least have connections to people who are aware of, which gun stores in the area are likely to suit their needs. Which stores have connections to militia groups, however tenuous? Which stores are strictly for the hunting sort? Etc.

It's a good question.

Considering it, while the majority of the people involved in Eldorado Commodities are white-collar financial types, there are a couple who might know such things. After all, an economics degree and an MBA don't erase years spent working around illegal mining concessions and even while a resident alien might not carry a pistol in the US, he certainly used to do so while in mining areas dominated by organized criminal interests in Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela. Such a background might lead to paying attention to how he might illegally obtain a weapon in the US, even if until now he hasn't had to.

And as Eldorado has to transport and store quantities of gold and other valuable things, they employ a security company, with personnel hired from Triple Canopy and similar PMCs/PSCs. The security guards and armoured car drivers are not supposed to know when the paperwork for imported gold is perhaps more optimistic than accurate as to whether it comes from a legal mining concern or not, but I'm guessing that the senior managers of the security firm are aware that Eldorado are not entirely on the up and up.

Which means that there are people who have some professional experience of firearms and who live in Dallas who might be discreetly asked for advice.