Thread: 268,000 rounds of ammo seizure

268k rounds of ammo seizure leads to arrest of U.S. truck driver in Juárez

By Daniel Borunda \ El Paso Timeselpasotimes.com
Posted: 04/18/2012 07:27:45 AM MDT

A U.S. truck driver was arrested after 268,000 rounds of ammunition were found in a tractor-trailer in Juárez by Mexican customs agents at the Bridge of the Americas on Tuesday afternoon.

The case was one of the largest ammo seizures made by Mexican authorities in Juárez since a vicious drug cartel war that has killed more than 9,500 people erupted four years ago.

Mexican news outlets identified the arrested driver as Bogan Jabin Akeem, 37, of Dallas.

Sources close to the investigation said Akeem will remain in custody for at least 48 hours while a court determines whether a criminal case will go forward.

Akeem was driving a tractor-trailer with Texas plates with the logo "McKinney Trailer Rentals."

Sources said the ammunition is of the type used for AK-47 and AR-15 rifles. The rifles are often used by members of Mexican criminal organizations.

The bullets were being transported inside metal boxes in a tractor-trailer that was stopped for a routine inspection as it entered Mexico.

The bullets are legal to buy in the United States but the ammunition is banned in Mexico, which considers those types of rifles and bullets only for military use. On the El Paso side of the border, signs warn travelers not to take firearms and bullets into Mexico.

Mexican law enforcement officials said they could not discuss the case. Mexican federal election law bars the official release of information from government agencies during presidential campaigns, but sources close to the investigation confirmed the seizure.

The seizure was made on the same international bridge where Mexican President Felipe Calderón in February gave a speech criticizing the U.S. for the consumption of drugs and for the availability of high-powered firearms that can be legally bought in the United States.

During his speech, Calderón unveiled a sign in English stating, "No More Weapons."

The sign, which is visible from El Paso, is made of parts of firearms seized by the Mexican military and welded together.

U.S. authorities have increased enforcement to try to stop the so-called Iron River, or flow of weapons into Mexico. It is not uncommon for U.S. agents to search vehicles heading to Mexico for weapons and bulk cash shipments from drug proceeds.

There have also been increased efforts to stop gun smuggling.

Last week, a U.S. Border Patrol agent from El Paso and his girlfriend were arrested by U.S. federal agents. They were accused of lying on federal forms to buy firearms and ammo intended for Mexico.

Agent Ricardo Montalvo, 28, and his girlfriend, Carla Gonzales-Ortiz, 29, are scheduled to have a detention hearing before a U.S. magistrate judge this afternoon in the federal courthouse in Downtown El Paso.

Montalvo and Gonzales-Ortiz are accused of conspiring to buy high-powered weapons and more than 20,000 rounds of ammo intended for Mexico.

The issue of weapons and ammunition from the U.S. heading into Mexico has become a major topic in recent years as the Mexican government deals with a wave of drug violence in various parts of the country.


Daniel Borunda may be reached at dborunda@elpasotimes.com; 546-6102.

268k rounds of ammo seizure leads to arrest of U.S. truck driver in Juárez - El Paso Times

i bet the border patrol agent will be given amnesty. so much corruption in our law enforcement. when you have janet napolitian as head of our law enforcement and a pro amnesty then you have a conflict of interest, she should be fired for her job performance, our borders are a joke as far as mexico goes. but you take a cruise and see how many times you see customs, dont know why us citizens are harrassed on cruises while illegal immigrants can come and go as they please. we had to get up at 6 am to go see customs on our cruise, my father has parkinsons and couldnt go but they harrassed him the whole cruise to see customs, when they could of went to his room, but that was to easy. we had to have passports and everything to get on the cruise and we were checked like crazy when we came back in...go figure, guess since they cant enforce laws on illegals might as well harrass legal citizens,,what a job

Mexican news outlets identified the arrested driver as Bogan Jabin Akeem, 37, of Dallas.

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Originally Posted by armydoc37

i bet the border patrol agent will be given amnesty. . .

Border Agent In Gun Smuggling Case Remains In Federal Custody

By KVIA.com04/13/2012 15:08:00

POSTED: 12:29 pm MDT April 13, 2012UPDATED: 1:08 pm MDT April 13, 2012
EL PASO, Texas -- Wearing a green jumpsuit and in shackles, a Border Patrol agent accused of smuggling weapons for Mexican drug cartels had his initial court appearance Friday.The 28-year-old Ricardo Montalvo waived his arraignments and will remain in federal custody.Montalvo and his girlfriend, 29-year-old Carla Gonzales-Ortiz, were charged with conspiracy and smuggling. Their detention hearings were both rescheduled for next Wednesday.Montalvo and Gonzalez-Ortiz, both of El Paso, were arrested Monday after a federal grand jury returned a 20-count indictment that accuses Montalvo of buying nine firearms, 20-thousand rounds of ammunition and 97 high-capacity magazines and four flare launchers to be smuggled into Mexico.He allegedly lied by saying the weapons and ammunition were for his own use. Gonzales-Ortiz is accused of falsifying statements during those purchases.Montalvo had been on administrative desk duty since the investigation started in January 2011. If convicted -- they each face five to 10 years in prison. Sib Abraham is Montalvo's lawyer.

Border Agent In Gun Smuggling Case Remains In Federal Custody

18 April 2012 Last updated at 19:35 ET

Mexico US border ammunition shipment seized

Mexico wants the US to restrict the flow of weapons and ammunition across the border

Mexican police say they have seized more than 250,000 bullets that were being smuggled into the country from the US.

The ammunition for assault rifles was found on a trailer driven across the border from Texas into Ciudad Juarez.

The driver - a 37-year-old man from Dallas, Texas - was detained.

Mexico says many of the weapons used by violent drugs gangs come from the US. It wants tighter controls on weapons sales north of the border.

The driver told customs officials he had nothing to declare when he arrived at the border, Mexican prosecutors said.

But an x-ray inspection of his cargo hold revealed the metal boxes holding the ammunition.

In total 268,000 bullets for AK-47 and AR-15 assault rifles were seized, Ciudad Juarez border control official Juan Ramon Huerta said.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon has repeatedly called for the US to implement stricter firearms laws to cut the supply of weapons to drugs cartels.

Around 50,000 people have died in drug-related violence in Mexico since President Calderon began deploying troops to fight the cartels in 2006.

BBC News - Mexico US border ammunition shipment seized

Mexico says many of the weapons used by violent drugs gangs come from the US. It wants tighter controls on weapons sales north of the border.

Mexico needs to step up and monitor it's own security and take care of it's own citizens and stop being a leech on the US. JMO

Originally Posted by Newmexican

Mexico needs to step up and monitor it's own security and take care of it's own citizens and stop being a leech on the US. JMO

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Fast&Furious was all about pumping weapons into the hands of Mexican cartels. If Mexico were serious about doing something about it, they would put their (corrupt) political machine to work at exposing Eric Holder, Janet Napolitano, and Barack Obama's involvement in F&F, and NOT the 2nd Amendment of the United States Constitution.

wonder if any of this ammo was the ammo Nappy has been buying up? I know let's ask Mr. Issa

Issa, Darrell 202-225-3906
Contact Darrell Issa
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Darrell Issa (@DarrellIssa) on Twitter

And Mr. Grassley!

Chuck Grassley (202) 224 - 3744 Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
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http://www.alipac.us/f12/juarez-poli...s-ammo-255462/