MCALLEN, Texas — Federal agents arrested a man from Mexico with a tourist visa during a sting operation. The man had been illegally purchasing thousands of rounds of ammunition.
As cartel gun battles in Mexico continue to be a regular occurrence criminal organizations have resorted to multiple schemes in order to get weapons and ammunition into their hands.
Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF) learned that Guillermo Hernandez Martinez had gone to a local gun store and ordered close to 9,500 ammunition rounds. Since Hernandez is a Mexican national with only a tourist visa, he is not legally able to own firearms or ammunition under U.S. law.
Hernandez is accused of having bought 7840 rounds of 7.62×39 ammunition which can be used for SKS rifles and AK-47’s; 200 rounds of .50 caliber ammunition and 1250 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition, court records obtained by Breitbart Texas revealed.
The agents set up surveillance and had what appear to be cooperating individuals pick up the ammunition from Hernandez. The ammunition was then taken to a home in the nearby city of Mission. Authorities then arrested Hernandez who, while being questioned, told them that he had bought the ammunition.
While the court records do not mention the Gulf Cartel, since February that criminal organization has seen two of its factions go to war over territories leading to regular gun battles and executions near the border, Breitbart Texas reported.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award winning journalist with Breitbart Texas you can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.