CBP Officers at Eagle Pass Port of Entry Seize 3,500 Rounds of Ammo

Wanted man nabbed by vigilant officers

Eagle Pass, Texas - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Eagle Pass port of entry arrested a U.S. citizen Wednesday, after finding a cache of ammunition hidden on his person and in his vehicle, during an outbound examination.

Wednesday afternoon CBP officers at Eagle Pass International Bridge No. 1 were conducting outbound examinations of traffic leaving the United States bound for Mexico, when they encountered a 2008 Nissan Titan pickup driven by a 62-year-old Eagle Pass man, accompanied by a 38-year-old male Mexican national.

Responding to routine queries, both subjects told CBP officers they had no or ammunition or weapons. A search turned up 3,500 rounds of ammunition, including: 1,500 rounds of .38-caliber ammunition and 2,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition.

The driver and passenger, a temporary visa holder, were turned over to Homeland Security Investigations agents, along with the vehicle and ammunition.

“We are committed to keeping weapons and ammunition from both entering and leaving the country illegally,” said Cynthia O. Rodriguez, CBP port director, Eagle Pass. “Every round our officers seize helps to ensure the safety of our border communities.”

On Monday evening CBP officers at the Eagle Pass port of entry arrested a St. Louis man wanted by authorities in Missouri. An officer working vehicle traffic at Bridge No. 1 came into contact with Ricardo Salvador Escobedo, 30. Upon querying a government database, the officer learned Escobedo, a U.S. citizen, was considered armed and dangerous. Records checks revealed that Escobedo was wanted on a warrant out of Missouri for “dangerous drugs, - distribute, delivery and manufacture.” Escobedo was turned over to the Maverick County Sheriff’s Office for extradition to Missouri.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.