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CBP Officers at Eagle Pass Port of Entry Seize 10 Assault Rifles, one .380-caliber Pistol, 11 Magazines
(Tuesday, May 17, 2011)
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Eagle Pass, Texas - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Eagle Pass port of entry while conducting outbound examinations recently seized 10 assault rifles, a .380-caliber pistol, and 11 assorted gun magazines from a vehicle driven by a local man.

	click for hi-res CBP officers at Eagle Pass seize assault weapons

The seizure occurred on May 12 during an outbound (southbound) examination at Eagle Pass Bridge I. A CBP officer referred a 2003 Ford Explorer driven by a 57-year-old male U.S. citizen from Eagle Pass for a secondary examination. CBP officers conducted an intensive examination of the vehicle and discovered in the cargo area boxes containing a cache of weapons, including 10 assault rifles (four rifles of the 7.62 x 39 mm-caliber and six 5.56mm-caliber rifles), one Ruger .380-caliber pistol and 11 gun magazines. CBP officers seized the vehicle, all the weapons and weapons equipment.

CBP officers turned the driver over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) special agents for further investigation.

“Seizing this significant cache of assault weapons underscores the important role CBP officers play in keeping our borders safe and secure on both sides of the river,” said Cynthia O. Rodriguez, CBP port director, Eagle Pass. “Our continued vigilance in the outbound environment is instrumental in detecting and interdicting weapons bound for Mexico.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.