Germany convicts ex-weapons workers for Mexico gun sales

BERLIN – A German court has convicted two former employees of gun maker Heckler & Koch over their role in delivering weapons that ended up in troubled areas of Mexico. It has fined the company 3.7 million euros ($4.2 million), the value of the proceeds.

The Stuttgart state court on Thursday convicted a former sales director of exporting weapons on the basis of fraudulently obtained permits, and an ex-clerk of being an accessory. They were given suspended sentences of a year and 10 months and a year and five months respectively. Three other defendants were acquitted.

The court said the company delivered 4,219 assault rifles, 2 submachine guns and 1,759 magazines to Mexico, and they were sold on to Jalisco, Chiapas, Chihuahua and Guerrero states. The exports took place from 2006-2009.