Sonora: Sonoyta-Caborca gun smuggling and 9 arrested in Altar

Three men are arrested at San Emeterio Customs, Sonora for smuggling a total of fifteen AR-15 style rifles heading for Los Mochis, Sinaloa. Meanwhile, in Altar, Sonora nine suspected cartel members are arrested.

During the first few minutes after midnight on May 22 2021, fifteen AR-15 rifle-type firearms were discovered in a bus at the San Emeterio Customs on the Sonoyta-Caborca highway. The weapons were found in the trunk of the bus, packed inside a suitcase at the customs area, near kilometer 27 of the highway. State Police and Foreign Trade personnel detained Paul “N” (38 years old), Jesus “N” (35 years old) and Alexis “N” (22 years old) in connection to these firearms.  Paul “N” was reportedly the driver of the bus, Jesus “N” and Alexis “N” were accompanying him.

In the photos released by authorities uppers, lowers and various parts for AR-15 style rifles can be seen, with each complete rifle presumably individually wrapped as a package. Whether the packages were marked by a number by the smugglers or by state elements is unknown. The men’s starting destination was reportedly somewhere in Baja California. They were reportedly traveling to Los Mochis, Sinaloa.

In a separate incident, on the same day of May 22 2021, nine people were found to be in possession of seven firearms for the exclusive use of the armed forces in the Magisterial neighborhood of Altar, Sonora. The nine were then detained by members of the Army (SEDENA) and State Public Security Police (PESP).

The nine men were brought up on two charges: Possession of Firearms for the Exclusive Use of the Armed Forces and Possession Cartridges for Firearms for the Exclusive Use of the Armed Forces.

Seized from their possession was:

• Four 7.62x39mm caliber long arms, with their respective magazines, each loaded with 30 useful cartridges.

• One .223mm caliber firearm with its respective magazine, each loaded with 30 useful cartridges.

• A .22mm caliber firearm.

• One firearm caliber 30-30mm.

• 27 magazines for 7.62x29mm caliber firearm.

• 761 useful cartridges for 7.62x39mm caliber firearm.

• Four breastplates.

• One vehicle.

Everything seized was handed over to the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office (MPF) who will be handling the investigation and legal proceedings against the detainees. Some people on social media have connected these men to La Gente Nueva de Altar/Cazador of the Sinaloa Cartel. However this connection is not confirmed by news sources or law enforcement statements.