The authorities have intercepted a cache of rifles headed for “transnational criminal organizations” at a gas station in Blythe, California, according to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) press release published Friday.
The discovery of the weapons came when a K-9 unit detected the weapons and alerted its handler. Border Patrol agents searched the vehicle and found 25 AK-47-style rifles with 30-round magazines and two pistols, according to the press release. The authorities arrested the two individuals in the car. These included a 25-year-old U.S. citizen and a minor.
“Transnational Criminal Organizations traffic weapons to fuel their illicit activity on both sides of the border. This weapons seizure clearly demonstrates the importance of our Border Security mission and commitment of keeping our communities safe,” said Yuma Sector Chief Patrol Agent Sean McGoffin, who also emphasized that the agency remains “steadfast and vigilant.”
It is believed that the weapons were headed for Mexico, according to the press release. (RELATED: Mexico Blames US For Rampant Cartel Gun Smuggling)
The discovery was part of Operation Apollo, a task force that includes several federal, state, local and territorial law enforcement agencies aimed at combating the trafficking of fentanyl.
Gun traffickers transporting firearms to drug cartels in Mexico have been a growing problem over recent years. The cartels have been smuggling a significant number of weapons from the United States with the assistance of American citizens, according to a CBS News report.
The cartels employ several different networks that pay Americans to purchase firearms from gun stores and online sellers. The weapons are then smuggled across the southwest border by various members of the networks, the report noted.
“We absolutely recognize the problem here that … the lion’s share of firearms trafficked to Mexican cartels are coming from the United States,” a senior Justice Department official told CBS News.
