In a US Federal Court Mexico took on Wednesday legal actions against several gun makers, accusing them of negligent business practices that generated illegal arms trafficking which led to deaths in Mexico.

The lawsuit alleges that units of Smith & Wesson; Barrett Firearms; Colt’s Manufacturing Company; Glock Inc; Sturm, Ruger & Co Inc and others knew their business practices generated illegal arms trafficking in Mexico.

Homicide rates reached high records recently, due to weapons from the United States in violation of Mexico’s stricter gun ownership laws.

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Mexico said the venue was appropriate because the defendants did business in the area.

Mexico is seeking for $10 billion compensation for damages, Mexican officials said at a news conference on Wednesday.

Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said at a public ceremony, his government wanted arms manufacturers to put an end immediately to practices that caused deaths in his country.

He said he viewed the U.S. government, which is not named in the civil lawsuit, as being willing to work with Mexico to stem arms trafficking.

Ebrard, widely seen as a contender in 2024 elections, has made a point in recent years of publicizing the issue of U.S. gun trafficking and lax gun controls.

On Tuesday, Ebrard traveled to El Paso, Texas, for a ceremony commemorating the second anniversary of the killing of 22 people at a Walmart, where the shooter was accused of deliberately targeting Mexicans.