Border agents uncover RPG launcher, cache of rifles hidden in vehicle heading to Mexico
What began as a routine inspection of a four-door Lexus crossing the U.S. border into Mexico escalated quickly Sunday when officers discovered a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launcher and dozens of...
By Fox News · Fox News
What began as a routine inspection of a four-door Lexus crossing the U.S. border into Mexico escalated quickly Sunday when officers discovered a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launcher and dozens of additional weapons hidden in the vehicle. Tucked in a cavity under the seats, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials found the RPG tube, four rifles, an Avtomat Kalashnikova (AK-style) pistol, 16 AK rifles, 24 rifle magazines, 16 rifle stocks, 20 pistol grips and other weapon parts in a vehicle attempting to cross the border at the Area Port of Nogales, near Tucson, Arizona. CBP confiscated the arsenal, which authorities said demonstrates the scale of weapons smuggling across the U.S. border and the volume that can be transported in a single vehicle. Officials said the seizure highlights ongoing concerns about cartel firepower and the flow of U.S.-sourced weapons into Mexico. "Under the powerful leadership of President Donald J. Trump and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin , our frontline CBP officers utilized an effective combination of inspection experience and technology to find these weapons and prevent them from falling into the hands of the cartels," CBP’s Acting Deputy Commissioner Ron Vitiello said. AMERICAN HIKER SHOT BY SUSPECTED MEXICAN CARTEL WHILE ON US SOIL "CBP prevented these dangerous weapons from wreaking havoc on the good people of Mexico," he added. CBP did not say whether the car’s contents have been tied to any particular cartel. The driver, a woman, is being charged with smuggling goods from the United States , a crime that could carry a penalty of up to 10 years behind bars. She was accompanied by three minors who were released to the custody of a family member, according to CBP. BORDER PATROL, FBI LEADERS WHO FIRST IDENTIFIED TREN DE ARAGUA RECOUNT GANG'S RISE TO POWER CBP’s Acting Director of Field Operations, Carlos Gonzalez, praised the work of the officers at the border who detected the weapons. "Every day, CBP…