Two Mexican nationals were arrested in Colorado with a military-scale cache of ammunition after buying bullets in Utah and casually driving them across state lines—raising serious alarms about immigration enforcement and cross-border trafficking.
At a Glance
- 180,000 rounds found in Colorado traffic stop
- Mexican nationals on nonimmigrant visas face federal charges
- Ammunition bought in Utah, bound for Pueblo, Colorado
- Suspects linked to “Operation Take Back America” crackdown
- Feds say effort targets transnational crime and illegal entry
A Traffic Stop Turns Explosive
Caesar Ramon Martinez Solis, 41, and Humberto Ivan Amador Gavira, 24, were pulled over in Canon City, Colorado on March 26 for failing to dim their headlights. But the stop quickly escalated when officers discovered roughly 180,000 rounds of ammunition in the vehicle. According to federal prosecutors, that included 150 boxes of .308 rounds and 30 boxes of 7.62 ammunition—each box containing 1,000 rounds.
As reported by Fox News, the men were in the U.S. on nonimmigrant visas, which explicitly prohibit possession of firearms or ammunition. The arrest has intensified concerns about how easily such massive quantities of military-grade ammunition can be acquired and moved within the U.S.
Watch Fox News’s coverage on the incident at Mexican nationals arrested with 180,000 rounds of ammunition.
From Salt Lake to Pueblo—With a Trunk Full of Ammo
Investigators say the suspects traveled from Denver to Salt Lake City to purchase the ammo, then planned to deliver it to Pueblo, Colorado. Martinez Solis claimed he and Gavira—his brother-in-law—were in the U.S. to purchase vehicles. However, Homeland Security officials allege the trip was part of a much broader and more dangerous pattern.
According to OANN, the case falls under “Operation Take Back America,” a federal campaign to crack down on illegal immigration and disrupt transnational criminal organizations. Officials described the initiative as an effort to “repel the invasion of illegal immigration” and dismantle “violent cartels and TCOs.”
National Operation, Local Shock
The ammo bust shocked Fremont County residents but drew nationwide attention due to its scale and implications. Federal agents say the investigation involves Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office.
Martinez Solis waived his right to legal counsel and admitted during questioning that Gavira had only arrived in the U.S. the day before the arrest. He claimed ignorance of the ammo’s purpose, but authorities remain skeptical. Both men now face federal charges for unlawful possession of ammunition by a nonimmigrant visa holder—a felony under U.S. law.
As the investigation unfolds, law enforcement officials warn that this seizure may be just one incident in a larger, more disturbing pattern. And if not for a routine stop over dim headlights, this massive arsenal might have quietly reached its destination.
