The incident took place around 7:45 p.m. on May 27, when U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers conducting exit operations at the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge inspected a Mercedes sport utility vehicle with Texas license plates. .

CBP officers said the SUV was attempting to leave the country for Mexico. Authorities identified the driver as Rodriguez, a US citizen. CBP officers told Rodriguez to get out of the vehicle and escorted him to the secondary area. There, he allegedly made a negative oral statement for weapons, ammunition and more than $ 10,000, according to court documents.

“During the secondary inspection, CBP officers found approximately 15,045 rounds of various calibers in the front passenger seat, rear passenger seat and the cargo area of ​​the SUV. The ammunition was found in bags. garbage cans and boxes of ammunition, ”states the affidavit.

Special agents and agents from the Homeland Security Investigations task force responded to the bridge to resume the investigation. Rodriguez reportedly agreed to make a statement after the arrest. Rodriguez said he entered the United States earlier today at around 4:30 p.m. to shop at a Laredo mall.

“Rodriguez said he met a friend at the mall who recruited him to smuggle the ammunition to Nuevo Laredo (Mexico) for $ 700,” the affidavit reads.

Rodriguez said he was assigned to meet someone at Walmart on Bob Bullock Loop and Clark Boulevard. Rodriguez’s friend told him that the individual would be driving a brown Chevrolet Suburban. Rodriguez said he arrived at Walmart to meet two people.

Rodriguez said he helped the two subjects transport the ammunition from the Suburban to his Mercedes SUV. Rodriguez said that after all the ammunition was loaded into his vehicle, he headed for the bridge to Nuevo Laredo (Mexico). Rodriguez stated that he would be paid once he delivered the ammunition to Nuevo Laredo (Mexico), ”the affidavit states.