In a decisive blow to Mexico’s legal strategy, the Supreme Court unanimously tossed out the country’s $10 billion lawsuit against American firearm manufacturers, reaffirming the broad protections gunmakers enjoy under federal law.

The decision bolsters the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, legislation which Congress passed back in 2005 specifically to shield firearms manufacturers from liability when criminals misuse their products.

Justice Elena Kagan dismissed Mexico’s claims that manufacturers aided gun trafficking. “It does not pinpoint, as most aiding-and-abetting claims do, any specific criminal transactions that the defendants allegedly assisted,” she wrote.

Mexico had argued that American gunmakers, including Smith and Wesson, Beretta, Colt, and Glock, knowingly facilitated weapons trafficking into their country. Mexican gun laws limit legal firearm sales to just one government-run store.

The Mexican government maintains that roughly 70% of weapons wielded by drug cartels, which wield substantial power in the country, come from the United States.

“We are gratified that the Supreme Court agreed that we are not legally responsible for criminals misusing that product to hurt people, much less smuggling it to Mexico to be used by drug cartels,” said attorney Noel Francisco, who represented Smith and Wesson.

Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not hide their disappointment. “Mexico has presented solid arguments demonstrating the harm that arms manufacturing companies cause to our country,” the agency asserted.