Miguel Diaz-Calderon, Attempting to Smuggle Firearms, Texas 2024

State: Texas
Category: Weapons
Source: <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdtx/pr/washington-state-resident-charged-attempting-smuggle-firearms-mexico-through-eagle-pass" style="color:#cc0000;" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">DOJ Press Release ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Â Ã¢â‚¬â€

Del Rio, TX – In a brazen attempt to evade U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents, 51-year-old Miguel Diaz-Calderon of Union Gap, WA, was arrested yesterday afternoon at the Eagle Pass International Bridge #2.

According to a federal complaint, Diaz-Calderon was attempting to export 27 handguns, 12 rifles, over 10,000 rounds of ammunition, 70 gun magazines, and an assortment of other gun parts concealed inside his truck. The estimated value of the seized items is substantial, and authorities also found $5,000 in U.S. Currency.

A CBP officer’s keen eye for suspicious activity led to the arrest, as Diaz-Calderon was trying to export the contraband without declaring it. The defendant allegedly told investigators that he was expecting to be paid another $5,000 upon delivery of the goods.

This alarming incident is a stark reminder of the ongoing issue of firearms smuggling into Mexico. The consequences of such actions can have far-reaching and devastating effects on communities on both sides of the border.

HSI is investigating this case, with the Eagle Pass Police Department’s Auto Theft Unit and the Maverick County Sheriff’s Office assisting CBP during the outbound inspection. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Kennedy is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

A criminal complaint is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Upon conviction, Diaz-Calderon faces up to ten years in federal prison.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

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