Nogales, Arizona - Customs and Border Protection officers at Arizona’s Port of Nogales apprehended an 18-year-old male U.S. citizen Tuesday evening after finding weapons and ammunition under the front and rear seats of the Chevy sedan he was driving.

Officers working outbound operations at the Mariposa crossing selected the man for an outbound inspection as he was leaving the United States. Subsequently, officers located five assault rifles, two handguns, and more than 800 rounds of ammunition.

Weapons found in sedan
Weapons found in sedan

Officers arrested the man for weapons trafficking and turned him over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. Officers also seized the vehicle, ammunition and weapons.

Federal law allows officers to charge individuals by complaint, a method that allows the filing of charges for criminal activity without inferring guilt. An individual is presumed innocent unless and until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

CBP's Office of Field Operations is the primary organization within Homeland Security tasked with an anti-terrorism mission at our nation’s ports. CBP officers screen all people, vehicles and goods entering the United States while facilitating the flow of legitimate trade and travel. Their mission also includes carrying out border-related duties, including narcotics interdiction, enforcing immigration and trade laws, and protecting the nation's food supply and agriculture industry from pests and diseases.