U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced that officials at the San Luis Regional Port seized “high-powered assault weapons” from a 28-year-old U.S. citizen crossing the border at the border crossing. legal entry.

“Preventing the smuggling of these weapons into Mexico has undoubtedly saved lives,” Chris Leon, regional director of the Port of San Luis, said in a statement.

“Our CBP officers remain vigilant and eager to disrupt illegal activities that compromise the safety and security within our communities on both sides of the border,” Leon continued.

Specifically, CBP said “five AK-47 rifles” and “two 50-caliber rifles” – as well as multiple “ammunition magazines” for both – were hidden inside a Chevrolet SUV, which was also been confiscated by federal authorities. The suspect was then referred to Homeland Security Investigations.

Seizures of drugs, such as fentanyl and methamphetamine, and weapons are common along the southern border. With the next change of presidential administration, the country is watching how border policies will change when it comes to seizing illicit goods and combating illegal immigration. Arizona has been particularly hard hit by the border crisis, with more than 565,000 migrant encounters in fiscal 2024 alone, as well as a high volume of seizures as a legal port.