Texas man charged with trafficking dozens of firearms into Mexico

A antheral from Austin, Texas, was caught trying to smuggle 40 firearms into Mexico by United States authorities past month.

If convicted, helium could look up to 10 years successful national prison.

Austin Man Charged with Smuggling Dozens of Firearms into Mexico Through Eagle Pass https://t.co/cOlb3PNLyF @HSI_SanAntonio pic.twitter.com/6BGkyzrWqR

— U.S. Attorney WDTX (@USAO_WDTX) January 29, 2025

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Victor Hugo Diego-Avellaneda, 39, denied having weapons oregon ammunition arsenic helium tried to transverse into Mexico astatine the Eagle Pass (Texas) Port of Entry connected Jan. 19. 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers past ordered the fishy to taxable to a secondary inspection during which agents recovered 40 rifles, six shotguns, 1 pistol, 80 magazines and 2 firearm scopes. 

In a ceremonial transgression complaint, Diego-Avellaneda allegedly claimed that helium was being paid US $100 for each limb portion besides stating that 11 of the firearms belonged to him. The fishy has been charged with 1 number of smuggling goods retired of the United States.

The announcement of the apprehension was made by the U.S. Attorney’s Office successful the Western District of Texas connected Jan. 29, which added that the U.S. Office of Homeland Security is investigating the case. 

After Trump accused the Mexican authorities of having alliances with transgression organizations connected Saturday, Sheinbaum wrote backmost that “if specified an confederation exists anywhere, it is successful the United States arms manufacturers that merchantability high-powered weapons to these groups.” (Presidencia/Cuartoscuro)

News of the apprehension came conscionable days earlier U.S. President Donald Trump signed an enforcement bid placing 25% tariffs connected Mexican and Canadian exports arsenic a effect of amerciable migration and cause smuggling crossed the United States’ borders. 

As portion of a woody reached Monday to avert the tariffs, Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum said she agreed to nonstop soldiers to the U.S.-Mexico border. According to Sheinbaum, Trump’s portion of the woody includes moving to forestall high-powered weapons from being trafficked into Mexico.

In a societal media post, Sheinbaum said that Mexico volition “immediately reinforce” the Mexico-U.S. borderline with 10,000 National Guard troops, and the United States volition enactment to forestall arms trafficking. 

While Trump confirmed the talks with Sheinbaum in his ain societal media post, helium did not notation the committedness to code arms trafficking astatine the U.S. border, but mentioned that U.S. Cabinet officials would “attempt to execute a ‘deal’ betwixt our 2 Countries.”

I conscionable spoke with President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico. It was a precise affable speech wherein she agreed to instantly proviso 10,000 Mexican Soldiers connected the Border separating Mexico and the United States. These soldiers volition beryllium specifically designated to halt the travel of…

— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) February 3, 2025

According to the paper El Imparcial, authoritative U.S. information indicates determination are 9,000 weapon shops adjacent Mexico’s borderline successful the U.S. states of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.

Trump said Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary nominee Howard Lutnick volition comprise the U.S. moving radical starring the commercialized negotiations.

Sheinbaum did not yet denote who would beryllium negotiating connected behalf of Mexico.

With reports from Infobae, The Associated Press and El Imparcial