Mexico slams "absurd" U.S gun laws as drug war rages

A haul of about 206 million U.S. dollars is seen with confiscated weapons after the money was found stashed in closets, suitcases, and drawers in a house in an upscale neighbourhood of Mexico City March 15, 2007. Mexico's government, which complains violent drug cartels are battling each other with firearms bought in the United States, slammed slack U.S. gun laws as absurd on Thursday.

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico's government, which complains violent drug cartels are battling each other with firearms bought in the United States, slammed slack U.S. gun laws as absurd on Thursday.

Mexico complains most of the often high-powered weapons used by warring Mexican traffickers come from gun shops in the United States and Mexican Attorney General Eduardo Medina Mora said there was not enough control over their sale.

"I think the American (gun) laws are absurd because they ... make it very easy for citizens to acquire guns," he told a meeting of academics and businessmen.

Mexico is locked in a bloody battle with rival cartels fighting over territory and President Felipe Calderon has deployed thousands of troops across the country against traffickers who are often better armed than police.

More than 1,000 people have been killed in drug violence in Mexico this year as a three-way war between cartels and the Mexican military spirals to unprecedented levels.

Although firearms can be bought on the black market in Mexico, it is difficult to purchase them legally.

Mexico said last month it was setting up an intelligence network with U.S. law enforcement agencies to stop members of Mexican drug mafias from buying guns in the United States and bringing them south of the border.