Newly elected Mayor Marcelo Ebrard has moved quickly to restore order to Mexico City by going after well-known crime dens and clearing the city's narrow streets of informal vendors. Police who have raided the capital’s neighbourhoods in a push against drug violence hope to take guns off the streets by offering a trade-in deal. The program launched yesterday in Tepito, a warren of scruffy homes and market stalls a few blocks north of the capital's main square, which police stormed last month. The city promised to protect the anonymity of those who hand over the guns, which will be destroyed by the army.

City police chief Joel Ortega said anyone who turns in a high-calibre weapon (think machine gun) will get a computer. Owners can also swap smaller guns for cash or Microsoft Corporation's Xbox video-game consoles. Organizers say they have 100 computers ready for the first wave of the program, each worth 8,500 pesos (390 pounds) and equipped with software donated by Microsoft. On the first day, Olayo said the city received 17 guns, including 12 from Tepito. If successful, the program will be extended to Iztapalapa, another area targeted by police where last week 800 officers expropriated a six-block neighbourhood filled with stores selling parts torn from stolen cars.

Link: Forum Discussion (Thanks Spartan_X)
News source: Reuters


There are 15 additional comments
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Quote this comment Reply to this comment #1 Posted by EduardValencia on 28 Mar 2007 - 22:54
Whoa thats nice microsoft!!

cheers!
(2 replies) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #2 Posted by Jaded on 29 Mar 2007 - 00:41
Hmm while a nice thing to do, I can see this leading to violence. Reason being people will robbing others of THEIR guns to turn in.
Quote this comment #2.1 Posted by Kushan on 29 Mar 2007 - 00:46
They could just rob innocent people's money if they wanted that. Even one crook stealing another's gun is a good alternative to an innocent bystander getting shot.
Quote this comment #2.2 Posted by Dipso on 29 Mar 2007 - 01:03
Yea you seem to be missing the point; getting the guns off the streets.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #3 Posted by Croquant on 29 Mar 2007 - 06:32
Never bring an Xbox to a gunfight.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #4 Posted by ArtOf_War on 29 Mar 2007 - 06:50
hehe I'm form Mexico (but not Mexico City) and read about this in the paper, from what I understood a you can get a computer with a .45 gun or higher, past programs like this has been pretty successful though traditionally they have given out "gift certificates" of sorts valid at supermarkets.

Anyways, there was this guy who traded in like 4 guns and he got a computer + an xbox + the equivalent to around $750USD in cash
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #5 Posted by Fire and Flames on 29 Mar 2007 - 11:32
heh I'm tempted to buy some cheap street guns here, and smuggle them to mexico city... hehehe I'm close enough to the border.. hehe
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #6 Posted by Ash on 29 Mar 2007 - 12:30
It's ironic. Remember... video games cause violence
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #7 Posted by azz0r_wugg on 29 Mar 2007 - 14:49
XBox or Xbox360?
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #8 Posted by spacer on 29 Mar 2007 - 16:22
I think it'd be funny to be playing GRAW or GRAW2, and instead of getting shot at by ak47s and RPGs you peak around the corner only to be hit in the face by an xbox.

At least thats what I thought of while reading this
(2 replies) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #9 Posted by SkyyPunk on 29 Mar 2007 - 17:17
Its going to make this happen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXebJR_G0k4

Maybe this was Microsofts plan all along!!
Quote this comment #9.1 Posted by spacer on 29 Mar 2007 - 19:10
Haha, that was awesome.
Quote this comment #9.2 Posted by kalizar on 30 Mar 2007 - 00:00
lol cool video
(1 reply) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #10 Posted by idbuythatforadollar on 30 Mar 2007 - 20:12
Guns are a lot cheaper than consoles right? Can't they just sell the consoles and buy more guns?
Quote this comment #10.1 Posted by Computer Guru on 02 Apr 2007 - 17:48
No.
*Legal* guns are, but buying an illegal unregistered rifle/pistol without the proper papers going through appropriate channels is a HUGE business in which a simple 200 dollar gun can sell for upwards of 1500 USD.

These guys aren't going to Sports Mart and getting a gun, they're buying them from the dealers - at a high cost.
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