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7,000 rounds of ammunition headed for Mexico stopped at Nogales port of entry, man arrested

Posted at 6:44 AM, Jun 22, 2017
and last updated 2017-06-22 12:42:41-04

Agents arrested a man allegedly trying to smuggle 7,000 rounds of ammunition into Mexico at the port of entry in Nogales. 

The arrest was part of a joint investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). 

Last Saturday, HSI special agents received information about a large amount of ammunition possibly heading to Mexico, according to an ICE press release. 

Investigators say agents were led to a Tucson residence where they saw 22-year-old Eduvier Navidad-Vizcarra Navidad loading and unloading boxes into a compartment behind the seat of his pickup truck. 

Once the boxes were loaded, according to ICE, Navidad drove toward Nogales. When he got near the port of entry, special agents managed to pull him over and arrest him. 

Investigators say inside Navidad’s car, they found more than 7,000 rounds of ammunition destined for Mexico. 

“One of HSI’s top enforcement priorities is preventing ammunition from falling into the hands of those who might seek to harm innocent people,” said Scott Brown, special agent in charge of HSI Phoenix. “Those whose attempt to illegally export ammunition to Mexico should be on notice, HSI will continue to work closely with its law enforcement partners to combat this threat and hold the perpetrators accountable for putting our communities at risk.”

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) also assisted in the investigation.