Authorities have detained two individuals after discovering 30 handguns allegedly intended for smuggling into Mexico. The firearms were cleverly concealed within a spare tire during a routine inspection at the southern border in Texas, officials reported on Friday.

This week, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) intercepted the weapons at the Anzalduas Port of Entry in Mission, a town situated along the Texas-Mexico border. The agency confirmed the seizure as part of their ongoing efforts to curb illegal activities in the region.

As part of a collaborative operation involving the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), DPS special agents conducted a search of a 2015 Chevy pickup truck at approximately 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

During this inspection, the agents uncovered 30 handguns, including a 5.7-caliber FN Herstal, along with 60 magazines and a speed loader, all meticulously hidden inside the vehicle’s spare tire, according to a DPS press release.

A DPS official noted that the 5.7-caliber FN Herstal is often referred to as a “cop-killer” due to its ammunition’s ability to penetrate body armor, highlighting the potential danger of such weapons.

Investigators later discovered one of the handguns was reported stolen out of Austin, authorities said.

The firearms were allegedly destined for Guanajuato in Mexico, where gun ownership is heavily restricted. 

The driver, Luis Torres Mujica, 30, a resident of Guanajuato, and his passenger, Jesse Joe Camacho, 28, of McAllen, Texas, were arrested and charged with theft of property and firearm smuggling, a second-degree felony.