First paragraph: A black Honda Odyssey stopped at Eagle Pass on Dec 16 was found to carry 12 high-end pistols that trace back to a massive weapons haul seized in Mexico in August 2023.
From Mexico to Texas
In August 2023 a Mexican federal police officer stopped a vehicle 50 miles south of Monterrey. A search of the vehicle uncovered 214 loaded guns and 421 ammunition magazines hidden under seats and floorboards. The haul was described by officials as one of the largest firearms seizures in Mexico at the time.
Tracking the Trail
Over the next two years U.S. federal officials traced the weapons. Many were identified as having been sold in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of North Texas. The investigation also revealed the owner of the Mexican-seized vehicle and the guns that had moved across the border.
ATF Surveillance and the Suspect
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) began surveillance on residences and associates linked to a suspect identified only as Individual #1. During the operation the agents found two suspicious vehicles parked at a house that appeared to be used for migrant smuggling. Alerts were issued for the property.
The Dec 16 Stop
On Dec 16 one of the vehicles headed south toward Eagle Pass, Texas. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers intercepted the black Honda Odyssey before it could cross into Piedras Negras, Mexico. A search of the minivan revealed ten 9mm pistols, a .40 caliber pistol and a .380 auto concealed inside the dashboard, behind the radio and inside the roof. Most of the firearms were high-end models from Glock, Smith and Wesson, Ruger and Heckler & Koch.
Detained Individuals
CBP detained the driver, Cristian Jimenez Gonzalez, and the passenger and vehicle owner, Diana Gonzalez Donlucas. Jimenez refused to speak to officers, but Gonzalez agreed to cooperate. According to court documents filed on Dec 17 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, Gonzalez said Jimenez purchased the 12 pistols at a gun show in Mesquite, Texas.
How the Guns Were Concealed
Gonzalez alleged she helped wrap the firearms in plastic that her husband hid in the minivan. She claimed the plastic would leave her fingerprints on it, masking the true owner. She also told investigators that the guns were destined for Nochistlan, a town in Zacatecas that is 50 miles northeast of Guadalajara and 60 miles from Guanajuato – two bases of operations for the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, or CJNG.
Connection to Individual #1
Investigators learned that Jimenez is related to Individual #1, a convicted felon who remains under investigation. Court records show Jimenez and Gonzalez made an initial appearance on Dec 18 in a federal courtroom in Del Rio, Texas, facing charges of trafficking in firearms.
Legal Proceedings
A federal judge ordered both defendants held without bond and scheduled a detention hearing for Dec 23. The case remains pending as the authorities continue to build their case against the two.
Key Takeaways
- 12 high-end pistols seized at Eagle Pass link back to a 214-gun haul in Mexico.
- The weapons were traced to sales in Dallas-Fort Worth and a Mexican vehicle owner.
- Investigators tied the case to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and a convicted felon.
The seizure underscores the ongoing effort by U.S. and Mexican authorities to dismantle large arms smuggling operations that feed cartel violence.
