Federal authorities have arrested an Alabama father and son accused of attempting to smuggle more than 300 firearms to Mexico through the Laredo Port of Entry, the Department of Justice announced.
The massive weapons seizure highlights ongoing federal efforts to disrupt cartel supply chains amid heightened border enforcement under the Trump administration.
Emilio Ramirez Cortes, 48, a Mexican citizen with legal U.S. residency, and his son, Edgar Emilio Ramirez Diaz, face federal smuggling and trafficking charges. Both men appeared in Laredo federal court and remain in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for October 31.
Authorities said the pair were stopped on October 23 while driving separate vehicles towing enclosed white utility trailers with false walls concealing weapons. Investigators reportedly found hundreds of rifles, pistols, ammunition, and magazines hidden inside both trailers.
“Disrupting the illegal flow of weapons into Mexico is a key part of our whole-of-government approach to dismantling the cartels,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This significant seizure represents our commitment to protecting Americans from brutal cartel violence.”
“Those that illegally traffic guns to Mexico empower cartels to terrorize the innocent,” added U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “This seizure of an immense quantity of firearms illustrates the Southern District of Texas’s full-spectrum approach to fighting the cartels.”
Court records indicate the men allegedly smuggled weapons for payment on multiple occasions.
The case falls under Operation Take Back America, a Justice Department initiative targeting cartels and transnational criminal organizations. Multiple federal agencies collaborated on the investigation, including ICE–Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Customs and Border Protection.
If convicted, the defendants face significant federal prison time for the weapons-trafficking charges.
According to the DOJ, a criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and both men are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.