Are CZ-USA, Kansas City, KS Made In USA Rifles The Top Gun Used To Poach Big Game In Africa?
/Now that all the holiday food is settling into our fat cells for a long winter's nap, and Trump has pissed all over our country in the worst Christmas Day message I've ever heard, let me begin by saying that I did not just like the FB page for “CZ-USA, Kansas City, KS,” rifles, thinking that my closest friends might have a total meltdown.
If I liked the company, them this post would tag their wall, but then I would be bringing down a hornet's nest of gun lovers on my wall, and -- in retrospect -- I don't really want to do that. Elephant killer Donald Trump Jr -- or just 'Junior' as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez calls him -- would probably show up in person to give us all a big lecture on the thrill of killing wild beasts. Speaking of wild beasts, his father is absolutely behaving like one. Sorry, I digress.
However, this New York Times article How Did Rifles With an American Stamp End Up in the Hands of African Poachers? hit me between the eyes this morning, and they were barely open. NOTHING IS DEFINITE YET, and of course, the gun manufacturer 'CZ-USA' denies, denies, denies that they have anything to do with the reality that their rifles -- not the ones manufactured by their parent company in the Czech Republic -- are being investigated as being the #1 rifle poachers are using to kill the elephants, rhinos, lions, tigers -- you name it -- in Africa.
Like somehow “CZ-USA, Kansas City, KS,” got carved into the metal. It's a branding mistake. You know . . . like Trump makes major branding mistakes every day. This is just all about bad marketing.
Another explanation of why made in Kansas City stamped rifles are taking out endangered species in Africa is that KC couldn't fill all their American orders, so the guns had to be made in the Czech Republic, and somehow those Czech-made guns with the American logo made it to Africa.
The woman-owner of the US mfg of the rifle says she's had no trouble filling orders and has never heard that her models were being produced by another mfg in Czech Republic or any other place..
The company is innocent until proven guilty, but I will get on an airplane and march in Kansas City myself if goddess-damn American guns are killing all the African wildlife as part of an international crime syndicate.
Exports of the guns are illegal w/o out a license and Mozambique is not on the international list. Nor is SA because Obama rules, followed by the Trump administration (clearly Trump doesn't know this or he will reverse it by morning), do not permit export of these guns to Africa over the wildlife poaching.
While this is not a girl's only investigation, one lady in particular is in the lead: Kathi Lynn Austin.
How Mozambique guys ended up at a gun show in the US talking with officials from “CZ-USA, Kansas City, KS,” was just a photo op not looking too good today. I guess they were visiting the Grand Canyon and decided to visit a top-flight American gun show in Las Vegas for amusement.
All we know is that Kathi Lynn Austin tracked them there.
In 2016, Ms. Austin, attended a gun show in Las Vegas after learning that CZ-USA officials would be there. Ms. Austin said she observed CZ and CZ-USA company representatives meeting with several Mozambican companies. She had earlier traced several weapons CZ sold to those companies that were later found at poaching crime scenes in South Africa.
Ms. Austin said she later met with a whistle-blower from one of the companies who shared with her emails between the company and CZ sales offices. It is unclear if the weapons were sold from the parent company or its American subsidiary. Ms. Austin also shared emails with The Times showing that she had warned CZ-USA that weapons with the company’s markings were showing up at wildlife crime scenes in South Africa.
On that note, the elephants, lions, tigers and rhinos that are left in Africa wish us all a Happy Holiday season. I've promised them that if this story is true, we are ready to rumble. ~ Anne
More Kathi Lynn Austin
Stopping the Trade in Death Op-Ed New York Times Dec. 6, 2011