A Mexican man was arrested trying to smuggle 11,100 rounds of 7.62×39 into the United States from Mexico.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers working at the El Paso port of entry stopped a 2011 Honda Ridgeline driven by a 32-year-old Mexican national as it crossed the Bridge of the Americas (BOTA) international crossing. At the primary screening checkpoint, CBP officers decided to direct the Honda Ridgeline to a secondary screening station, where officers ran the SUV through a low-energy portal scan. It identified possible anomalies hidden in the Mexican vehicle. Last year, the machine was put into service to help identify vehicles trying to smuggle contraband into the country over the BOTA international crossing.
After the system showed possible anomalies, a CBP currency and firearms detection canine searched the vehicle and alerted agents to possible hidden contraband. After CBP agents saw the trained detection dog detecting something in the vehicle, the CBP officers ran the SUV through a Z-portal X-ray scanner. The Scan showed something hidden in the quarter panels of the Honda Ridgeline.
Usually, the contraband being smuggled into the country from Mexico is drugs, but this time, the Mexican man was not smuggling any elicited substances. The officers would tear apart the vehicle, where they would recover multiple bags containing 11,100 loose 7.62×39 rounds. These rounds are used in such firearms as AK-pattern rifles. Recovering this amount of ammo being smuggled into the country is highly unusual.
“The volume of this seizure is substantial,” said CBP El Paso Director of Field Operations Hector Mancha. “To put it in perspective, CBP officers working at El Paso area ports seized 15,678 rounds of ammunition in all of fiscal year 2021, 7,224 rounds in fiscal year 2022, and 11,205 rounds in fiscal year 2023.”
The flow of drugs usually runs from Mexico into the United States across the Southern Border. Ammunition, cash, and firearms flow generally south from the United States into Mexico. Last August, CBP officers working the same crossing seized 93,000 rounds of ammunition being smuggled into Mexico for drug cartels to terrorize the United States’ southern neighbor.
CBP officials are withholding the arrested man’s identity and information about who he was working for at this time. However, many assume his employer was one of the many Mexican-based drug cartels. The man was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and will be federally prosecuted for smuggling goods into the United States.
President-elect Trump has promised to fix the border and crack down on smuggling. One of the ideas being floated by the Trump transition team is to designate Mexican drug cartels as narco-terrorist organizations. The change in the designation would take the gloves off, allowing the United States to use military assets to fight back against the brutal cartels.
This week, President Trump appointed Tom Homan as the border czar for his administration.
Every clip of I see of Tom Homan in hearings and interviews makes me love this man more. Easily the best pick I’ve seen so far for any appointment. pic.twitter.com/7AXB1VktuN
— The artist formerly known as Sssy Semite ✡︎ (@bklyngirl42) November 12, 2024
Mr. Homan is the former Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and is a hardliner regarding border security. He believes that the Southern Border is too open and pushes a zero-tolerance policy for illegal crossings. He rose to fame after a legendary exchange with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) over separating families caught trying to enter the country illegally.
Whether President Trump’s changes make a difference remains to be seen, but until Trump takes office, many expect border crossings to spike.
About John Crump
Mr. Crump is an NRA instructor and a constitutional activist. John has written about firearms, interviewed people from all walks of life, and on the Constitution. John lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and sons, follow him on X at @crumpyss, or at www.crumpy.com.
What!!!! I thought all the guns and ammo were going to Mexico. We better sue Mexico for $500,000,000.
ammo for the Chinese bidumd smuggled in
9mm glock switches dont kill fast enough 36 rounds fired 18 hurt 1 killed
.Hey swmft – Context??? 18 + 1 when, where, who, what, etc.
Alabama, IIRC. At a college.
Sue? Why bother, just take their money!
hang this hump pos at the border crossing with a sign nailed to his head “No más o te mueres” Any other challengers to this, tag and bag their
a–es and airdrop them in mexico city
Can’t get too excited about this. The ammo is legal to buy here at any store. Some guy brought it across the border from Mexico without filling out the proper paperwork. Who cares? Next case, please. Illegal aliens prancing across the border unapologetically are of real concern. Apparent stop based on an informant.
An informant or was the whole thing staged, like their silly once or twice yearly photo op of a massive drug seizure?
Besides, I think in America most gangs are using 9mm’s, and if they’re using rifles, my guess is they’re more likely 5.56mm.
He is plain and simple a smuggler. HAD he filled out the papewrwork and brought it in to resell, fine.
His dirtbag sneak makes me real glad he go caught.
Now what WOULD have been poetic justice is if he clown had made it, then got his Honda ammo truck carjacked in El Paso by cartelistas. He would have to walk home empty handed. Of course the downside there is the cartelistas make a decent haul.
hit a bump and enough force to set-off a chain reaction
My first thought was that most of the illegals coming across the border are military aged men. Then is this the first load of ammo coming across or one that was intercepted. I know it’s ridiculous but I couldn’t help the thought.
What about the Chinese division that’s already here…
the listeria,and other contamination in the food supply
They own a lot of food producers…
China uses it’s umbrella corporations to purchase American food companies, grocery stores, along with buying up American farmland and ranch land.
Hopefully, Trump will put a stop to the Chinese government buying up American farmland and ranch land!
Do you think Americans could go to China and buy up their farmland?
The Chinese government would arrest them and put them in prison.
Bruce … Why is it that we never hear of the number of chinese at just the age you are refering to ? First none of them expected Trump to get elected . With cumallaya’s feeling about this country , and tampon tim awol’s ties to china it makesw one begin to ask questions .
If this man was the only one stopped by Border Patrol, makes you wonder how many others got through without being stopped and searched.
Article said the cartels are setting up operations in LA, Phoenix, Albuquerque and Dallas.
Is this ammo for the cartels in these cities?
The cartels purchase chemicals to make drugs with from China.
The cartels purchase military equipment from China, North Korea and Cuba, and buy full auto AK-47’S, hand grenades, RPG’S, land mines, various handguns , and they are trying to purchase tanks too!
The Biden Harris administration could care less.
My first thought that this is probably just one of many loads that have been coming into the country to supply ammunition to all of the guys that are here illegally that are a military age men who are planing to attack us at some point.
May be to run their US drug operations?
HLB
This ammo was probably headed to some of the terrorists Biden has let slip through the border in the last 4 years. I can’t think of any other reason they would want to smuggle it it since it is readily available on the open market. It would be interesting to know the driver’s destination.
the venezolano street gangs taking over apartments in Aurora sort of “imports” would be my guess. There are enough of these guys here already (thanks, Dopey Joey) to be capable of arming and organising to do some serious disruption as he Day of Reckoning approaches in January. Perhaps an updated version of J6? They certainly staged the las one….
I have always believed the cartels would market arms and ammo here if the black-market demand was high enough.
I agree 100%. But the demand is not high. So it was smuggled northbound by who and for what? Either a total BS staged event or you have to figure a lot more supplies have already made their way in and not cartel related. Stay alert. The world needs more lerts.
This is extremely rare. Yes you can get it here, understandable. BUT whoever it’s for cannot get it without raising eyebrows. Every single law abiding armed citizen should ponder this. Glad they caught it.
So, I guess he didn’t want to order it from Lucky Gunner?
Isn’t it funny, how the uniparty war mongers, all want to go to war in Ukraine against Russia, and go save Israel from Iran, and Taiwan of China and so on, but excepting Trump, no one’s brought up using the military to destroy the cartels?
Maybe the CIA owns the cartels?… They’ve been in the drug trade since at least Vietnam, remember Air America?
Lots of folks have discussed relisting the cartels as terrorist organizations. I’m not saying it is a bad idea but any armed move against them would be tantamount to declaring war on Mexico. War mongering?
Most people agree that giving Ukraine to Putin will not reduce world tensions. Others think it will bring ‘peace in our time.’ Tucker Carlson is not always right.
What label gets put on the cartels matters naught. They ARE illegal foreign invaders, armed and organised. Treat them as such. If Castro floated a couple divisions ashore in Miami what SHOULD we do? Same thing here. Search them out here, destroy them as a foreign invading army. They DO wear uniforms someimes, o? Did anyone else catch the statemen that the identity of the smuggler” AND the organisation he works with” are being wthheld? That tells ME he is connected with some organised entity. My nickel is on cartel, either Mexican or Venezuelan or both. (who said those two… Read more »
Nick was worried about civilian casualties when CBW suggested a little Arc Light visit to their compounds. I think our bombing accuracy has improved since the 60s and 70s and there would be little collateral damage. And it would send a profound message. South of the border cartels and gangs have enough contacts and resources to get ammo here. My bet is an Axis of Evil member, Iran, N. Korea, or China. In that order. They do hire the cartels to smuggle people across the border. But I could also imagine a cartel ratting out this shipment for being a… Read more »
I’m not against launching a targeted strike against a cartel compound. Missile tech is light years ahead of where it was in Vietnam. That’s fine. But an Arc Light, is a massive squadron of B-52’s carpet bombing. We can’t advocate for carpet bombing Mexico. We can’t advocate the killing of thousands, or millions of innocent Mexicans because of the actions of the cartel, China, and the CIA.
Sometimes hyperbole is used to represent the anger and disgust we feel towards things like the cartels and other organizations. Other times there may be a justifiable reason for some people to say these things.
Maybe so, but I think we should try to behave online as we would in real life. I doubt many people would say, if speaking to a group of people face to face, “let’s arc light Mexico”.
And true, maybe something did happen. Maybe he did lose someone to the cartels drugs. But I just can’t get behind the idea of killing civilians because of the monstrous actions of the elites- whoever the elite may be, in this case namely the cartel and the US government who lets them run wild within out borders.
I see I can still post.
When I said “nobody but Trump”, I meant nobody in a high enough position to do anything about it. I don’t watch Tucker Carlson much. I watch Candace Owens all the time. And yes, anybody can be wrong. But my issue with Ukraine, and Russia is, it doesn’t affect us. In terms of declaring war, can war be declared on Mexico? I’m not being facetious, but, doesn’t a nation have to have a central government for war to be declared on it? Everyone know’s the Mexican “government” is a farce. Now, with the drug cartels in Mexico, between the drugs… Read more »
when I was in dea it was brought up dick the traitor cheney quashed the idea
Cheney, the name’s vaguely familiar… Haliburton? War criminal? The only guy in the world who handles a shot gun worse than Tim Walz? That Cheney?
Hmm, wonder if they’ll put the ammo up for auction at a later date?
I wondered what happened to my online order! Seriously though, where was this going? My guess is to some gang bangers or worse terrorist. Ammo is still affordable so the black market can’t make any money selling it.
Article does not touch on why anyone would be smuggling ammo into the US when we can probably buy cheaper pretty much anywhere. Speculation I’ve heard is that this ammo was destined for groups who can not legally possess guns or ammo in the US – or who want to avoid any record of their acquisition. Though that last one makes no sense – just go into Academy and pay cash for a few (few dozen?) boxes — no record beyond their internal security video which periodically gets deleted if it works at all. Short version – one or more… Read more »
OK, how much per round does CBP want for it?
Please do not destroy. Please sell it thru the CMP @RealDonaldTrump
Good to know they now have deployed magnetometer and X ray tools for detection of contraband.. and perhaps humans.
Hope this guy finds himself in a huge heap of serious rouble. Likely Dopey Joey will pardon him, though.. that’s how the current administration roll.
And so this seemingly cements that the influx of immigration is in fact what it looks like. An invasion!
7.62×39? You can get that anywhere. Have they got 7.62×25 or 9×18? Asking for a friend 😉
This makes absolutely no sense.
It does if you consider the Mostly male fighting age immigrant influx we’ve seen.
and on he payroll of SomeOne…..
this round is not knownfor lng range accuracy, it is far better suited to close quarters urban and hedgerow work.
NOW.. considering the insane and publically spoken will to go to any length or bear any cost o prevent Number Forty Seven from taking his rightful office, the hought of J6v.2 comes to mind. They staged that one four years ago but it never rose to the inended level.
Tionico … Some of the pictures from that aurora Commierado appartment take over showed some of them carrying long guns possibly Ak’s or Sk’s
Oh here we go with the moderation again. I said nothing bad. I didn’t cuss well on typing anyway. I am cussing you right now though.
That is only 9.25 spam cans of 7.62×39. 1200 rounds cases. That we were buying for 89 dollars back in the day.
A few friends with SKS and AK could burn up 1200 rounds shortly.
Not a whole lot of ammo.
It was all they could hide in that vehicle. They did all they could with what they had.
HLB
I realize Joe Biden caused an ammo shortage in the country but smuggling 7.62×39 ammo into this country makes me wonder what thier intentions were with that ammo .
WTH?! 11,000 rounds is still a personal use amount!
Smells like false flag crappola. Now let’s see if Joe passes some idiotic still of the night EO or the whinging Dems in Congress try to sneak in some new law citing the “massive ammunition and guns and weapons of destruction epidemic of smuggling across the southern border” that attempts to castrate the Second Amendment AGAIN. Thanks, CIA and “Alejandro’s minions” for helping to destroy the country and its freedoms and safety. The real question: will Mayorkas be indicted for treason as a smuggling and human trafficking co-conspirator with Mexican cartels? After all, how else do you explain flying illegals… Read more »
Someone’s planning to FA. No other reason to bring that ammo in when you can buy it at the store. But the cartels are going to FO when Trump sends our special forces down to Mexico to fill body bags. Cannot wait ..!!!!! Hopefully they’ll send in the B-52s first to do a little arc light softening up. A 300 mile wide crater ought to help get the party started.
Sure, so an Arc Light and kill how many thousands or millions of innocent Mexicans? You want a modern day Dresdan? The problem isn’t with Mexican civilians. The problem’s the cartel which is owned by the CIA and China.
Innocent Mexicans don’t need to die, because the elites in their country are monsters. Remember, the elites in this country are monsters too, so are you going to advocate for thousands, or millions of American civilians to die?
The Mexican cartels are owned by China and the CIA? What makes you think that?
Who else would want to, and who else have he means? And who else have the goals? (and profit is only a small part of their goal)
It’s a war. Just using drugs instead of a conventional military.
So you’re unaware that the fentanyl factories in Mexico are staffed with Chinese nationals and the chemicals to make fentanyl come from China?
You’re also unaware of the CIA being in the drug trade since at least the Vietnam era? Remember Iran Contra as well?
Plus the fact that the CIA is willing to go to war anywhere in the world except Mexican and central America… You don’t find that suspicious?
This will be one of Joe’s last minute pardons
Atypical action, unusually EASY discovery and tear-down to get at the contraband, and very odd caliber to smuggle IN to US. Something else may be going on here. WAY Outside The Box Security Thinking Is it “It’s a record!” Bait to attract high profile individuals to toxic material? A test of border CBR (Chem/Bio/Rad) defenses camo’d by “Oh…it’s just a ‘normal’ smuggling op. No need to look deeper into it”? Could contraband be weaponized CBR to injure border enforcement personnel? (dusting with various compounds made into nano-particles? Are border CBR scans even in place to pick up and alert on… Read more »