Federal Agents Seize Over 7,000 Rounds of Ammunition in Ciudad Juárez
Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, July 10, 2026 – Federal agents from the Criminal Investigation Agency (AIC) and the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC) have detained a driver and seized more than 7,000 useful cartridges and a telescopic sight for firearms. The illicit cargo was discovered hidden among other goods in a tractor-trailer during a routine inspection on the Miguel Ahumada-Ciudad Juárez federal highway.
Operation Details and Discovery
The operation, announced jointly by the Security Cabinet on July 10, took place during inspection and surveillance rounds. Agents flagged down the driver for a preventive routine check. Upon inspecting the cargo, they found the ammunition and the telescopic sight distributed in various boxes, camouflaged among the rest of the shipment. The driver was immediately detained and informed of his constitutional rights.
A thorough review of the vehicle revealed a total of 7,425 useful cartridges and one telescopic sight. The ammunition was strategically placed in different boxes, mixed with regular cargo, making it difficult to detect during a superficial inspection.
Strategic Location and Ongoing Investigations
The Miguel Ahumada-Ciudad Juárez federal highway is a critical land access route to the Texas border, known for high commercial cargo traffic. This makes it a priority area for federal authorities in terms of security. The seized items and the detained driver have been handed over to the Federal Public Ministry, which will open the corresponding investigation file and determine the driver’s legal status. Authorities have not yet released the name of the detained individual or details regarding the declared origin or destination of the cargo.
Company Logo on the Vehicle Raises Questions
Official photographs released by the Security Cabinet show federal agents interacting with the driver in the truck’s cabin. The vehicle’s door clearly displayed the logo of Castores, a national cargo and parcel delivery company. However, authorities did not mention the company’s name in their official statement. It remains unclear whether the tractor-trailer was an official company vehicle, operating under a subcontracting scheme, or if the branding was a case of brand impersonation. This ambiguity is significant as Grupo Castores sells its used units, including semi-new tractor-trailers and trailers, to the general public through a financing program available in various parts of the country.
Intensified Security Operations and Previous Incidents
This seizure is part of the Security Cabinet’s strategy to strengthen surveillance on the country’s federal roads and prevent the movement of weapons and illicit goods. The SSPC and FGR have indicated that federal highway inspection patrols are conducted permanently. Ciudad Juárez is a major hub for cargo traffic on Mexico’s northern border, making it a constant focus for the Security Cabinet’s institutions. The case is now with the Federal Public Ministry, which will define the charges and the legal situation of the detained person.
The Ahumada-Ciudad Juárez highway corridor has been the scene of similar operations in the past. In May 2026, FGR elements intercepted a Chihuahuenses bus at kilometer 302 of federal highway 45, within the same corridor, that was transporting more than 20,000 fentanyl pills, 40 kilograms of the same drug in packages, and 14 kilograms of crystal meth. These drugs were concealed in the driver’s berth. That operation marked the third seizure of units from the same company at that road point, prompting federal authorities to investigate possible links between operators and criminal organizations involved in the trafficking of synthetic drugs to the northern border.
