Illegal immigrant in Texas who purchased thousands of rounds for Mexican drug cartel gets 5 years in prison

An illegal immigrant living in a Texas border city was hired to purchase thousands of rounds of ammunition for the Cartel Del Noreste (CDN) in Mexico, the Justice Department said Tuesday. 

Charbel Garza Macias pleaded guilty on Oct. 8, 2024, to illegally possessing ammunition after he was found with 4,8000 rounds during a traffic stop. 

He was sentenced in federal court to more than five years in prison. He is expected to be deported upon serving his time, authorities said. 

The Laredo Port of Entry at the World Trade Bridge between South Texas and Mexico. An illegal immigrant in Laredo was sentenced to more than five years in prison for purchasing ammunition for a Mexican drug cartel, the Justice Department said. (Google Earth)

Macias attempted to elude law enforcement as they followed him after departing the parking lot, federal prosecutors said. 

During a traffic stop, authorities found 4,800 rounds of .223/5.56 caliber ammunition in the vehicle. At the time, Macias admitted that he was hired by the CDN to buy 20,000 rounds to be smuggled into Mexico. 

Authorities noted that he didn’t have a license to export ammunition or firearms and knew it was illegal to smuggle ammunition into Mexico.

In exchange for smuggling the ammunition, Macias expected to be paid $600 per transaction, the Laredo Morning Times reported, citing a federal affidavit.