Federal, state, and local law enforcement teamed up this week in Lubbock to arrest eight people tied to drug trafficking, illegal weapons, and enough meth to keep Breaking Bad on the air for another ten seasons. Authorities seized 12 firearms, some stolen, one with a “switch” modification that turned it into a bootleg machine gun, plus cocaine, marijuana, and nearly a kilo of meth. Classic West Texas bingo card, really.
U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton called it part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, stressing that her office is among the top in the nation for federal gun prosecutions. Translation: if you’re a felon caught with a gun in Lubbock, Uncle Sam’s ready to make you his next success story. Meanwhile, the ATF reminded everyone that the “Lego-looking” switch that makes your pistol go full Rambo isn’t just illegal—it’s a quick way to guarantee you’ll meet federal prosecutors up close and personal.
Lubbock PD Chief Seth Herman did his usual Second Amendment two-step: yes, they “wholeheartedly support” gun rights, but no, they don’t love that locals keep leaving their pistols overnight in unlocked trucks like party favors for the city’s criminal element. Nearly 700 guns were stolen in Lubbock last year—almost half out of vehicles. Herman begged people to quit making it so easy for thieves, but let’s be real: West Texans seem more likely to chain their Yeti cooler than their Glock.
If Lubbock wants fewer gun crimes, maybe the first step isn’t another task force—it’s convincing folks that “truck console” is not the same thing as a gun safe.
