Cartel Del Noreste Member Sentenced For Stockpiling Ammo At The Border

A member of Mexico's Cartel del Noreste has been sentenced to over five years in prison for stockpiling ammunition at the border with the intent to later smuggle it into Mexico.

Concretely, Charbel Garza Macias will serve 63 months in prison. He is expected to be deported to Mexico after the sentence.

U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo said the cartel member wanted to provide tools of war by getting the ammunition into Mexico.

"This defendant's goal was to get this ammunition to Mexico and, if he had succeeded, would have contributed to the cartels' ongoing campaign of brutality," said U.S. Attorney Nicholas Ganjei.

"Those who work to arm, supply, fund, or otherwise aid these organizations take notice: You are going to be found and prosecuted," he added.

Macias made a series of bulk purchases in Laredo, Texas, before seeking to smuggle the ammunition last year. When arrested he admitted to being hired to buy about 20,000 rounds for the Cartel Del Noreste, according to Border Report.