(ImpactHeadlines.com) – A man was recently apprehended for what authorities say was an attempt to smuggle ammo and guns over state lines. According to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, the Border Patrol’s Anti-Smuggling team conducted high-visibility and saturation patrols on Interstate 10 on Monday, July 1, 2024.
At Chiriaco Summit, Border Patrol Agents (BPA) saw a car speeding west on the highway, acting in a hazardous and suspicious manner. After a traffic enforcement check, BPA identified the 22-year-old driver and lone occupant as Alexis Ayala Molina.
Ayala Molina, of Phoenix, Arizona, was found to be in possession of a large cache of illicit guns. The Coachella Valley Violent Crime Gang Task Force (CVVCGTF) arrived to assist the Border Patrol investigation.
Ayala Molina had a total of 29 weapons, including 27 assault rifles, one bolt action rifle, one semi-automatic handgun, and various rounds of ammunition. Fifteen of the twenty-nine guns were Ghost guns and had their serial numbers destroyed. It is common practice to destroy serial numbers in order to evade authorities.
Members of the CVVCGTF tracked the weapons down to their illegal smuggling origin in the Tempe, Arizona region and into California. Authorities arrested Ayala Molina and booked him into Indio’s John Benoit Detention Center.
Among the many counts against him are allegations of felonious assault weapon possession, transport, and serial number alteration or removal.
A $55,000 bond has been imposed. Ayala Molina is expected to make an appearance at the Indio Larson Justice Center.
Parts for “ghost guns” are offered online, often without a license. Fears that anybody with a credit card and the capacity to follow basic assembly instructions may obtain a handgun through this method have been raised due to the lack of serial numbers and the difficulty for law authorities to locate them.
The government revised its definition in an effort to curb the growth of the weapons market. Companies selling component kits are now required by law to possess federal weapons permits and include serial numbers on such licenses.
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