The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) have a track record of losing things. For several years the ATF has been “losing” firearm across the Mexico border and now the agency has lost 420 million cigarettes:
The US agency tasked with stopping illegal tobacco trafficking lost track of 420 million cigarettes purchased in undercover operations, justice department auditors have found.
In addition, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made $162m (£100m) selling tobacco undercover, it found.
To those who want to grant the ATF more power so it can further control firearms I ask you this: How is an agency that can’t even keep track of cigarettes supposed to effectively control firearms? Furthermore, I must point out that it is unlikely that anybody within the ATF will be punished for this loss. Once again we must acknowledge that the state fails to punish wrongdoers within its ranks and that make government jobs attractive to the irresponsible. Putting irresponsible people in positions of power is always a recipe for disaster.