Ciudad Juarez.- U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has intercepted nearly 29,000 munitions leaving El Paso for Mexico, nearly 2.5 times the number from last year, in just 10 months of fiscal year 2024.
Between October 2023 (fiscal years begin in October for this agency) and July 2024, 28,788 rounds of ammunition of various calibers have been seized, compared to 12,172 in fiscal year 2023; in addition, 40 magazines, a sight, two bulletproof vests, and 2,829 weapon parts and other types of accessories such as extensions and silencers were seized. This is the largest seizure of ammunition compared to other fiscal years, since, for example, in 2021 there were 7,552 items of this type confiscated, and in 2022 there were a total of 2,890. On the other hand, incoming ammunition almost reaches the figure for entire fiscal years, when there are still two months left to finish the 2024 period. While in the current period 3,444 ammunition, four cases, 58 magazines, 11 weapon parts, and five sights (a total of 3,522 items) have been seized, last year there were 3,536, so 14 more devices would tie the count. Under circumstances other than outgoing or incoming, 455 items were found and seized in fiscal year 2024, compared to 648 in 2023, 1,403 in 2022, and 1,540 in 2021. Regarding outgoing weapons from El Paso to Mexico seized by CBP, the 10 months of the aforementioned period already exceed the three previous years with records regarding the seizure of long weapons, since the count goes to 11 when in previous years it fluctuated between two and six, although in short weapons it reached eight in 2024, and in previous years the numbers reached 20. However, 55 weapons were attempted to be introduced (35 short, 18 long, and two of another type), when in previous years the figure was 24 to 30; and 24 more weapons were seized, although it is not specified whether they entered illegally or are seeking to be exported irregularly.
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