6 arrested in suspected arms smuggling incident

SHERYL KORNMAN

Published: 04.01.2008

Two Tucsonans and four Mexicans were arrested in the seizure of a .50-caliber sniper rifle, handguns and 3,500 rounds of ammunition intended for use in Mexico, according to a spokesman for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Tucson.

Louie Garcia, assistant special agent in charge, said the sniper rifle - similar to those used by hunters - was taken by agents from a car stopped southeast of Tucson over the weekend. Agents had been tipped the car might be carrying illegal weapons.

He said agents in the binational Border Enforcement Security Task Force working on the investigation, called "Armas Cruzadas," believe the weapons were to be smuggled into Mexico for use by Mexican drug cartels or human traffickers.

"This is part of the fight against organized crime in Mexico, one of the top priorities of the new administration of President Felípe Calderón," said Alejándro Rámos Calderón, spokesman for the Mexican consul in Tucson. "Some of these criminals get their weapons from the United States," he said.