Mexican man admits to smuggling ammo from Texas in boxes of dog biscuits

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) — A 25-year-old Mexican man has pleaded guilty to exporting ammunition from the United States to Mexico inside boxes of dog biscuits.

Federal prosecutors said Esteban Ramirez-Torres approached the southbound checkpoint at the Hidalgo Port of Entry on November 15, 2019.

Officials at the border noticed boxes of dog biscuits with black tape at the bottom along with bags of dog food that had been stapled shut.

Prosecutors said a further search uncovered 4,000 rounds of 7.62x39mm caliber ammunition and 30 AK-47 style rifle magazines hidden among the dog food and biscuits.

Ramirez-Torres admitted to buying the dog food, tape and staples at a Walmart before going back to Mexico and knowingly smuggling the ammunition illegally into Mexico.

He faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine when he is sentenced in April.