Douglas CBP Officers Bust Sedan Smuggling 6,000 AK-47 Rounds

A 56-year-old man has been charged federally after U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Douglas discovered over 6,000 rounds of rifle ammunition hidden in his vehicle last week.

The suspect, Jose Herrera Daniel, a resident of Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico, was apprehended on May 13 while attempting to cross the border in a red Dodge Avenger. During routine “outbound operations,” a CBP officer, assisted by a detection dog, conducted a search of the vehicle, leading the dog to alert to the presence of ammunition, according to federal court records.

Officers then utilized a Z-portal X-ray machine, which indicated anomalies in the rocker panels of both the driver and passenger sides of the car. Upon inspection, CBP officers uncovered 6,399 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition—commonly associated with AK-47-style rifles—concealed in plastic bags.

During an interview with two officials from Homeland Security Investigations, a division of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Daniel reportedly confessed he was promised $300 for smuggling 500 rounds into Agua Prieta, as stated in court documents.

This case continues to be investigated by CBP and HSI, with prosecution being managed by the Tucson office of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, according to Justice Department officials.