State security forces in northern Mexico seized two stolen vehicles, an assault-style rifle, ammunition and tire-puncturing devices near Ojinaga during a joint patrol operation Saturday, authorities said.
The operation took place around 4 p.m. June 6 near Cerro El Pegüis, where officers with the Chihuahua State Public Security Secretariat, working alongside the Mexican Army and National Guard, spotted two vehicles that appeared to be abandoned, according to officials.
Authorities identified the vehicles as a white Ford F-150 pickup and a gray Jeep Rubicon without license plates. After checking serial numbers through Mexico’s Plataforma Centinela database, officials determined the vehicles had active theft reports in Texas and California, respectively.
A search of the vehicles uncovered what authorities described as a cache of weapons and ammunition, including an AK-47-style rifle, six magazines, more than 450 rounds of ammunition of various calibers and three .50-caliber rounds. Officers also recovered a bag containing metal spike devices, commonly referred to as “ponchallantas,” which are used to puncture vehicle tires.
The vehicles and seized materials were turned over to Mexico’s Public Ministry for investigation.
Chihuahua state officials described the seizure as part of an ongoing effort to disrupt criminal operations in rural areas and combat illegal weapons trafficking near the border region. Ojinaga sits directly across the Rio Grande from Presidio, Texas.
