CB

EAGLE PASS, Texas – An Eagle Pass woman is in custody after attempting to smuggle more than a dozen assault rifles out of the United States.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry selected a 1995 Ford F-150 pickup truck for inspection as the vehicle was leaving the United States, bound for Mexico, Thursday afternoon. During the initial inspection CBP Officers referred the vehicle for an intensified inspection after discovering what appeared to be weapons within the vehicle.

With the assistance of electronic imaging equipment and a CBP canine, officers discovered a total of 14 assault rifles hidden in the pickup. The weapons and driver, a 52-year-old U.S. citizen, were turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations for federal prosecution.

“Preventing firearms from illegally being exported from the United States is an important function of CBP officers at the Port of Entry,” said Cynthia O. Rodriguez, CBP Port Director, Eagle Pass. “Every weapon our officers seize helps to ensure the safety of our border communities.”