The weapon of choice for the cartels.
Posted on 01/13/2011 3:25:01 PM PST by SwinneySwitch
HIDALGO — Two brothers are facing firearms smuggling charges after police found more than a dozen high-powered rifles inside their vehicle’s gas tank Tuesday morning.
It began with a traffic stop at about 8 a.m. near the intersection of Military Highway and McColl Road in Hidalgo, said Police Chief Vernon Rosser.
When the patrol officer ran both of the suspects names, Antonio Ibarra, 41, and Edwardo Ibarra, 37, through their database, he found they both had traffic warrants, Rosser said.
“But traffic warrants didn’t justify their actions,” Rosser said about the suspects’ nervous demeanor.
“The way the guys were acting in the vehicle made [the officer] think there was more to it than just a traffic stop,” the chief said.
After the suspects were taken in, police began searching for discrepancies in the older model Ford truck they had been driving, said Lt. Cynthia Vargas, who is heading the investigation.
“That’s when we discovered the rear gas tank had the hidden compartment with 15 AK-47s,” she said. Only one out of the 15 high-powered weapons had a visible serial number, she said.
“That’s becoming very common because the people selling these (weapons) don’t want them traced back to them,” Rosser said. “It gives us an investigative tool to find out who’s selling them.”
Rosser believes the weapons were headed to Mexico.
“That’s the weapon of choice for the cartels,” he said. “It’s becoming routine for us to intercept these smugglers, so for us it’s an everyday deal.”
Both men, who are U.S. citizens living in Mexico, are expected to be charged with firearms smuggling and tampering with the weapons’ serial numbers, Vargas said.
The Drug Enforcement Administration is also helping with the investigation.
The weapon of choice for the cartels.
May god have mercy on them, but the law should not.
Anyone know where someone can purchase a “low-powered” rifle? More illegal alien crime but they are supposedly citizens? Anchor babies perhaps?
The AK-47’s 7.62x39mm cartridge is not considered to be high-powered.
I think my Brit 303 or my 30 06 may qualify as high powered but my 22 LR would get the same Headlines from the MSM
TT
(Shame they were lost in a Tragic Boating Accident, I do miss them)
That’s one big ass gas tank!
Yeah, I could see 7.62x54R (Mosin, Dragunov, roughly equivalent to a 30-06) being called “high powered”, but 7.62x39 is about like a 30-30.
Well, no more hauling my guns around in my gas tank.
(”...Tragic Boating Accident...”) That’s funny, happens all the time. lol
If I was in Mexico, I could import unlimted full-auto Chinese AKs from my southern neighbors, or buy them from my local corrupt police force.
Why would I go into America to buy semi-auto pale imitations for 10x the price?
This is a setup i’ll wager, look for sweeping gun control any minute to save us from ourselves.
**** “ Why would I go into America to buy semi-auto pale imitations for 10x the price?” ****
Free tank of Gas !
TT
The drug Cartels are working with Hezbolla, Hamas and Al Qaeda. I guess Hugo Chavez can’t get enough rifles up there. This article smells a little fishy, but could have a logical explanation, like drug mules preparing to cross the border.
One way to remove Cosmoline!;^)
Probably trading them for Mex. meth then making 20X the investment back selling it. You have to wonder how long these two have been doing this. American citizens? Thanks to the last amesty or “extended family of” I suspect.
Someone should let the reporter know that those aren’t rifles.
I spoke too soon. It looks like a lot of those are side-folders. The one in front looks like a pistol version though.
Beat me to it!
It is amazing how many Great Americans, such as yourself, lose a few nice ass guns at sea.
Glad to know I wasn’t the only one who has lost a weapon at sea.
I guess I should have had it secured better :-)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.