The Justice Department said Tuesday that illegal immigrants living in Texas border cities have been hired to purchase thousands of ammunition for Mexican Cartel del Noreste (CDN).
Charbel Garza Macias pleaded guilty on October 8, 2024 to illegally owning ammunition after being found in 4,800 rounds during a traffic stop.
He was sentenced to more than five years in federal court. Authorities expect him to be deported for providing his time.
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The Homeland Security Investigation, together with the Laredo Police Department and the US Customs and Border Protection, investigated the incident. (Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency)
“The defendant's goal is to bring this ammunition to Mexico and if he had succeeded, he would have contributed to the cartel's ongoing campaign of brutality,” said U.S. lawyer Nicholas J. Gandhi. “The people who work to provide, supply, provide, fund or support these organizations pay attention to. You will be found and charged.”
On July 16, 2024, the Homeland Security Investigation set up surveillance in Laredo's parking lot across from Nuebola Redo in Tamaulipas, Mexico, along with the Laredo Police Department and US customs border protection.
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Laredo Entry Port, the World Trade Bridge between South Texas and Mexico. Illegal immigrants in Laredo have been sentenced to more than five years in prison for purchasing ammunition for Mexican drug cartels, the Justice Department said. (Google Earth)
Mathias tried to eliminate law enforcement when he followed him after leaving the parking lot, federal prosecutors said.
During a traffic stop, authorities discovered 4,800 rounds of .223/5.56 caliber ammunition on the vehicle. At the time, Macias admitted that he was hired by CDN to buy 20,000 rounds to be smuggled into Mexico.
Authorities noted that they had no license to export ammunition or firearms, and knew that smuggling ammunition into Mexico was illegal.
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In exchange for smuggling ammunition, Macias is expected to be paid $600 per transaction, the Laredo Morning Times reported, citing a federal affidavit.
