This is according to a source in law enforcement, who said: “The weapons that are being provided to the Ukrainian armed forces have already been found in the possession of Mexican cartels and Hamas.”

They added that this is compromising the trust between Western nations and Kiev, noting: “Western countries have now increased anti-corruption controls related to weapons supplies.”

Last year, reports emerged that Mexican cartels had been using Ukraine-sourced weapons, with a video claiming to show a Mexican cartel member with an American-made FGM-148 Javelin portable anti-tank missile launcher.

At the time, presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy tweeted: “…US military weapons that we sent to *Ukraine*, including Javelin anti-tank missiles & missile launchers, are ending up in the hands of Mexican drug cartels south of our border. This is an embarrassment…”

Some experts debunked those reports, and the company itself said the weapon in question was not a Javelin.

However, the new report from TASS is bringing these concerns back to the forefront. From the moment the U.S. and NATO allies agreed to supply weapons and ammunition to Ukraine when the Russian conflict broke out, concerns have been raised that they could end up in the wrong hands, and as more time passes, the likelihood grows that they could have made their way to drug cartels, criminals and terrorist groups around the world.

Some have suggested the new report is Russian propaganda, but it is worth noting that weapons ending up in the hands of Mexican cartels is a very real concern and something that has been happening with increasing frequency.

Mexican government recently demanded U.S. investigate how weapons are ending up with cartels

In fact, cases involving American-made weapons making their way to Mexican cartels have become so prevalent that the Mexican government has demanded that the U.S. launch an investigation.

The Mexican army reports encountering rocket launchers, grenades and belt-fed machine guns in possession of cartels that are not sold for civilian use in the U.S.

Mexican Foreign Relations Secretary Alicia Barcena said: “The [Mexican] Defense Department has warned the United States about weapons entering Mexico that are for the exclusive use of the U.S. army. It is very urgent that an investigation into this be carried out.”

In June, they reported seizing hundreds of automatic machine guns and dozens of grenade and rocket launchers from drug cartels in recent years, which is creating a significant challenge for Mexico’s army. In some cases, the cartels have access to more damaging weapons than law enforcement.

These weapons could have ended up in the hands of cartels via any number of means, from U.S. weaponry use in Central America during 1980s conflicts to military-grade weapons that disappear from stocks in the U.S. and manufacturers selling arms on the black market.

The warning from Mexico highlighted the long-running problem of semiautomatic rifles that are legal for civilian use being smuggled across the border into Mexico, which only allows low-caliber firearms under very strict conditions. The country has even launched legal action against American gun shops and gun makers on the grounds that they have been contributing to cartel violence south of the border.

Last year, Military.com reported that a Russian-led organized crime group in Ukraine obtained weapons that had been shipped there for the war effort, including a machine gun and grenade launcher. They also cited cases where Ukraine’s security service caught a group of Ukrainian battalion members stealing 60 rifles and a thousand rounds of ammunition to sell on the black market.

Sources for this article include:

• GreatGameIndia.com
• TASS.com
• LATimes.com
• Military.com

The DOD Inspector General could not verify any instances of loss, theft or diversion of the weapons shipments, but found during a November 2022 visit to the Jasionka transfer site in Poland that personnel responsible for tracking equipment transfers couldn’t confirm that the items received matched those the Pentagon meant to send, according to the report. Lax accounting by Pentagon teams in the U.S. and Poland adds to the risk items en route to Ukraine could disappear and that the Pentagon may accidentally miscalculate future security aid, the report found.

DOD personnel “did not have reasonable assurance that the numbers and types of defense items transferred to the [government of Ukraine] officials via air transport in Jasionka was accurate or complete,” the report found.

DOD personnel, working in 24-hour shifts, did review cargo arrivals and oversee loading into Ukrainian and Polish trucks headed to the front lines. However, the defense team failed to complete the required documentation for three of the five shipments they received, the watchdog found.

One plane carrying thousands of small arms, night vision goggles and cold weather gear arrived without a cargo log, so DOD personnel had to open the crates and try to mark down by hand the quantities received. However, they had no way to tell for sure whether the items represented everything that was supposed to be shipped.

“There is an increased risk that the DoD may be providing more or less equipment than authorized by [the president] and may not be able to verify the quantities of all defense items transferred to” the government of Ukraine, the watchdog warned. That lack of accountability increases the risk that future losses could occur.

After the President issues an order to pull from U.S. weapons stockpiles for Ukraine, a DOD agency issues an “execute order” to military personnel involved in the immediate transfer of defense alongside guidance on cooperation with U.S. Transportation Command, according to the report. Once the equipment arrives in Europe, U.S. Army Europe and Africa (USAREUR-AF) and the Security Assistance Group-Ukraine (SAG-U) are responsible for ensuring the items make it into the Ukrainian government’s hands.

However, USAREUR-AF and SAG-U did not train the tracking team on how to inventory the equipment according to existing regulations, the report found. In addition, DOD agencies at the origin point of equipment often did not provide shipping logs to the team at Jasionka or comply with the execute orders.

Glad to welcome Robert Storch & @DeptofDefense delegation.
Our friends continue to see for themselves that transparency&accountability are critical components of our policy.
We have adopted NATO standards of accounting for weaponry. Being a trustworthy partner is our key priority pic.twitter.com/0QqsyV6tu5

— Oleksii Reznikov (@oleksiireznikov) January 27, 2023

SAG-U disagreed with the recommendations in the report, saying it did not have authority to issue further guidance and warning that delays in providing U.S. weapons to Kyiv could result in operational losses for Ukraine.

The U.S. has provided $40.4 billion in security assistance alone to Ukraine since the beginning of the war in February 2022, according to a fact sheet dated June 9.

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I’ll start this by saying I’m against violence. 

By that, I mean gratuitous violence because I acknowledge it is much part of life, the natural state of things. But being peaceful is different than being harmless. In fact, the most peaceful people I know are also the most harmful.

 Throughout my entire life, I have always strived for conflict avoidance and de-escalation. I’m constantly training my awareness skills and studying violence and crime to detect and avoid it as much as possible. Not being there is Rule #1 in survival.

But we must be ready to fight violence with violence if necessary.

That’s Rule #2: Be prepared to use violence. I have no shame admitting that I run first. But I also practice martial arts, combat, and tactical shooting, among other self-defense techniques.

Because violence can be unavoidable sometimes, and we can only focus on what we can control (that’s ourselves). The rest is not really up to us. The world is dangerous, and there’s a lot of evil out there, even when things are normal. It’s obviously much worse when SHTF, as we know.

But that doesn’t mean we should employ violence in all violent situations.

Knowing when it’s necessary is critical (it comes with studying violence and training). It’s sort of a Catch-22, but it’s important to understand that the consequences of violence are, more often than not, worse and far-reaching than non-violent options.

Besides potential consequences, there’s always some risk involved in any direct engagement. We may know how a situation starts but can’t say how it’s going to end. Ever.

Surviving is the goal. Winning is for the ring. This leads to Rule #3: Violence should be the last resort. Even if we’re ready to deal with it, we should do everything in our power to detect, avoid, defuse, de-escalate, or escape. 

When the enemy picks the time and place.

Sometimes violence comes to us. That’s when weapons and training can be an asset. It’s reassuring to know that you can at least handle yourself to some level if things go awry.

Firearms top most prepper’s list. It’s the #1 weapon of choice for SHTF. Rifles and pistols are great to have at any time, and certainly more if the world goes Mad Max. I love shooting and competing as much as anyone.

But there are intermediary levels of SHTF to prepare for.

When handguns aren’t a viable option or the most appropriate for a situation, urban weapons can provide a tactical advantage for personal protection and self-defense.

By carrying these weapons and being efficient at using them, and also knowing about them and how they work, we can improve the odds of avoiding, deflecting, or neutralizing these weapons, in case they get used against us.

This is what good LEOs everywhere do.

Because it’s part of their job to contend with thugs and criminals that use improvised and adapted weapons all the time. And no one wants to get caught by surprise. 

In fact, much of what I’m presenting here was learned from cops and other security agents, experts, and instructors during my street survival outings, interviews, direct training, and other situations. The following general tips also come courtesy directly from them. 

Before we dive in, here’s the skinny of urban weapons conduct. Take note, if carrying one of these (or any other) is in your plans: Beware the rules of the streets. Study the law. Don’t flaunt. Practice constantly. And keep the concept of deterrence always in mind. 

Deterrence 

Weapons are items designed to inflict physical (body) damage or act as deterrents to discourage someone from doing something bad or violent against us.

Selco talks about how this works during SHTF in his many books, and whether or not you think a civil war or other total breakdowns may take place where you live, it’s worth knowing about deterrence at least as mental preparation. 

Know the Law

Federal, state, and municipal. This is very important, for obvious reasons. Governments and authorities are becoming more and more strict, even though public safety has been decaying with the passing of time. 

Don’t just do a quick first page on what’s allowed or not in your town. These things change all the time, frequently without notice. Go deeper, and check what is being practiced out there and what the authorities will allow, tolerate, or enforce. 

You may be surprised that some items forbidden by legislation are not actually enforced, and vice versa. I’m not telling you to carry this or that, just to wise up. In the end, if something happens and you’re brought to justice, it will be taken by the letter of the law no matter what the street practice.

Street fighting rules

Talking about the street, the only thing to know about street fighting and urban violence, in general, is that there are no rules. Everything is game to incapacitate your opponent (temporarily or definitely) and escape intact. Know that because your opponent already does.

Be grey

In perhaps 99% of the situations in life, being discreet, restrained, and low-key is a good thing. When we’re carrying a self-defense weapon, this is even more important.

Practice beforehand 

Constant practice of carrying, deploying, and operating is advisable. That’s no different than firearms or any other weapon, really. The goal is to become as smooth, as quick, and as efficient as possible. 

Surprise and efficiency are big factors in any combat. It’s possible to revert the situation by surprising an attacker and being skilled. This takes practice, and practice, and more practice. 

Do some testing, too, to see if it will hold and perform or break on the first strike. The worse time to learn is when you actually need it.

(Looking for more information on emergency evacuations? Check out our free QUICKSTART Guide.)

The following items are so commonplace that they should pass unsuspected in most places.

There are others. This is just a primer. The idea is turning everyday, ubiquitous, unsuspected items into force multipliers, so creativity and improvisation play a big role. 

But if deployed efficiently and timely, these improvised urban weapons can help achieve the ultimate goal of buying time and distance from an attacker (to escape) or get us out of a dangerous situation. 

Bic lighter

I got this tip from a friend who works as a bouncer in a downtown club where the lowlife gather. He applied a choke hold on a guy who had just slapped someone on the dance floor. The fellow lit a Bic on his forearm to break the grip. He’s 6’2” and strong as a bull, but the intense burning made him back off instantly. Took him a few seconds to realize WTF was that while the guy ran away. It’s effective over fabric as well (but you know the potential implications, so beware).

Superglue

I saw this one myself during a construction job I was supervising here: a guy stopped two coworkers who attacked him using a tube of superglue. There was an argument, one of the guys pulled a small blade, and this fellow gushed superglue all over them. It was a mess, but the result was immediate. 

This is a tricky one to pull out, but when I thought about it, I saw the potential and some advantages: 1) Superglue is easy to find; 2) It’s above suspicion; 3) It’s perhaps the last thing someone (police or not) would think is being carried as a “weapon”; 4) It’s unexpected; 5) It’s very effective and quick in incapacitating attackers without being fatal, which may come handy if the case is brought to justice. 

As always, there are some cons: it’s not as easy or fast to deploy. It must also be used in a way, so we don’t worsen our own situation by “gluing” ourselves to our attacker or something else. But I can imagine this being used stealthily in some close-body situations, though, with the attacker not realizing it until he’s stuck. 

Padlock

Small, inconspicuous, legal, heavy, and powerful. Padlocks have been used as weapons for ages. Tied to a bandana, a lanyard, or even a t-shirt, they become a slingshot with tremendous reach and blunt force. Square types have sharp and pointy edges, making them dangerous and effective if used as a swinging weapon. 

It can be thrown onto someone to gain a few precious seconds to allow an escape. Padlocks and chains have been used by urban cyclists for decades, meaning it’s time and street-tested. A hefty lanyard can replace the bandana. Cons: Bulk and weight mostly. 

Aerosol (hair spray or other)

You’ve probably seen aerosols used as flamethrowers in movies. This has been used in real life too. Most aerosols are also highly flammable, and some are highly irritating too. 

It requires a lighter or other ignition source, which all but prevents its use in surprise attacks on the street. It’s also relatively short-reaching, though no one will take a chance when a flame is being thrown around. But no one will make an issue of someone carrying a can of hair spray either.

Cork pullers

Twist-and-pull corkscrew pullers may not be the most efficient when it comes to opening wine bottles, but they are incredibly effective when used as a weapon. They are a “civil” version of the push dagger, a.k.a. knuckle knife, a very popular choice in the U.S. in the 19th century, but certainly a more discreet and, above all, permitted item. If you get pulled and asked by the cops, you can distill your immense knowledge in enology, and everything will be fine.

Umbrella

The umbrella is touted in many prepping circles as an effective weapon. There are many videos on the internet showing people swinging an umbrella against attackers, though it’s not really an effective weapon to inflict serious damage nor incapacitate a stronger opponent or attacker – unless you can poke the person’s eye or other soft parts with precision. This is mostly movie stuff, though, I can assure you. 

What I have seen done effectively is using an open umbrella to hide another weapon, like a firearm, pepper spray, or something else. The person opened it while using the other hand to draw a pistol and shoot the criminals coming for him. You see them turning around and running away, desperate in surprise. 

Alcohol

The pandemic has turned carrying a bottle of alcohol into a common thing. No one would think anything of someone carrying it everywhere, not even into restaurants or on public transportation. Except perhaps on airplanes, but you’re unlikely to need to defend yourself while flying anyway.

Alcohol can be used directly if you can splash some into the person’s eyes somehow or threaten with fire. This is tricky, though, but if you can pull this off without being detected, it can work. 

People fear flammables and fire. There’s a famous video of a guy filling the tank at a gas station. A van with thugs comes by, and when they’re about to go down and rob him, he calmly pulls the nozzle and soaks them and the van with gasoline. Of course, they run away immediately.

Now we’re entering the legal gray zone.

Depending on where you live, one or all of the items below would be recognized as weapons by most anyone, especially the authorities. These are more efficient for incapacitating an opponent by inflicting damage or at least changing his mind. 

Telescopic steel baton

Easy to conceal, deploy, and highly effective, the telescopic steel baton is used by many police forces around the world. In fact, it’s so damaging that in many places, it’s illegal (e.g., California). It’s my preferred urban weapon because it’s not as easy to be taken from you, and it’s highly effective even against more than one assailant. 

In fact, it’s very effective as a deterrent because it’s quite intimidating. Opponents should desist just by seeing it being deployed. And if used, only one strike might convince them that insisting on attacking you is a bad idea. 

Brass knuckles

These were also very common in personal combat and even during wars since the ancient Rome period. Though capable of causing serious damage, brass knuckles aren’t just to deliver a more debilitating punch: they’ll save your hands. 

As anyone who’s ever been into a fight can attest, punching someone in the face (or anywhere) bare-handed can be painful. And dangerous too: it’s easier to break a hand or finger than most people think. 

This may be OK during normal times, but thinking in terms of SHTF, breaking anything and especially the hands, may imply a serious handicap, not only for self-defense but for many other things.

Pepper spray

Like firearms, pepper spray may be illegal in some places. In the U.K., for instance, they’re strictly forbidden. Despite laws and regulations, police may or may not have a more lax attitude towards someone carrying a pepper spray, so it’s really down to the local scene. 

When it comes to efficacy, we must be mindful of the time it takes to make an effect: it can be anything from a few seconds to a minute – unless you hit the eyes. For this reason, it’s better if deployed discreetly or by surprise, and when it gets into action, you can run.

When it does work, though, it’s quite effective to incapacitate an assailant or assailants. Smaller canisters are easier to conceal and deploy.

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Knife

In close-quarter combat, knives can be deadlier than a handgun or other firearm. It’s easier and quieter to bring into action, and this makes a huge difference. 

There’s just too much that can be said about knives, from size to type of blade, not to mention the plethora of attack and defense techniques. It would take another article to go over even a fraction of that. Training knife fighting and defense is really, really hard and tricky (not to mention dangerous). 

Just know it’s messy and risky, and if you pull a knife on an attacker and he or she doesn’t change his mind and turn away, you better be ready to use it effectively. There’s always the real risk of getting it taken from and used against us, too. 

There are many other kinds of blades that can perform the same function. Many are improvised, but there’s also a plethora of industrial options out there, some really low-profile like the fixed-blade tactical belt knives. These stay somewhat concealed but can be identified and might be forbidden in most places. Folding knives are controversial, so I’ll leave it at that.

One of the most elegant for civil use is the integrated belt knife by designer Dan Valois. It’s a rather sophisticated solution to keep a small knife concealed and easily available: a 2.75” blade in 420C steel with serrations, useful to cut through seatbelts, cords, and other tough materials. The blade is coated black to make it even more tactical. 

It will sound the alarm from metal detectors and also show up in X-ray equipment. But in the urban environment, it’s the most discreet (I’d say camouflaged) fixed-blade knife that I’ve ever seen or known of. I wear mine all the time, and not once have I had someone asking me about it. For all purposes, it’s just a belt. 

Are there other discreet carry options?

There are a wide range of other discreet weapons that could be considered I didn’t discuss above. If you know of any, let us know in the comments below. What are your thoughts on what I mentioned?

About the Author

Fabian Ommar is a 50-year-old middle-class worker living in São Paulo, Brazil. Far from being the super-tactical or highly trained military survivor type, he is the average joe who since his youth has been involved with self-reliance and outdoor activities and the practical side of balancing life between a big city and rural/wilderness settings. Since the 2008 world economic crisis, he has been training and helping others in his area to become better prepared for the “constant, slow-burning SHTF” of living in a 3rd world country.

Fabian’s ebook, Street Survivalism: A Practical Training Guide To Life In The City , is a practical training method for common city dwellers based on the lifestyle of the homeless (real-life survivors) to be more psychologically, mentally, and physically prepared to deal with the harsh reality of the streets during normal or difficult times. He’s also the author of The Ultimate Survival Gear Handbook.

You can follow Fabian on Instagram @stoicsurvivor