Routine traffic stop leads to arrest of Mexican nationals transporting massive ammunition cache in Colorado

04/25/2025 / By Laura Harris

Fremont County deputies arrested two Mexican nationals with B2 visas after a routine traffic stop uncovered 180,000 rounds of ammunition (.308 and 7.62 caliber) allegedly destined for Pueblo, Colorado. The suspects admitted to violating visa terms by purchasing and transporting the ammunition.
The case mirrors past controversies like Operation Fast and Furious, where U.S. agencies lost track of weapons sent to Mexican cartels. The ammunition seizure raises questions about cartel supply chains and potential intentional gaps in tracking.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), ATF and local authorities are probing the incident as part of Operation Take Back America – a DOJ initiative targeting cartels, illegal immigration and violent crime networks.
The operation focuses on deporting criminal aliens, designating cartels as terrorist organizations, and pursuing harsh penalties (including the death penalty for cartel leaders). Sanctuary cities obstructing enforcement may face legal/funding repercussions.
State and local agencies must cooperate with federal authorities or risk losing funding, as the DOJ consolidates cases to intensify crackdowns on cartels, trafficking and smuggling.

A routine traffic stop by detectives from the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) in Colorado led to the arrest of two Mexican nationals and the seizure of an estimated 180,000 rounds of ammunition allegedly en route to Pueblo from Utah.

On March 26, FCSO detectives Stephen Krueger and John Keller observed a white Chevrolet van traveling on U.S. Highway 50 with improperly dimmed headlights and a defective license plate lamp. Deputies initiated the stop after the van turned into a gas station without signaling and discovered Mexican nationals, Caesar Ramon Martinez Solis and Humberto Ivan Amador Gavira, holding B2 non-immigrant visas, typically issued for tourism.

A language barrier initially complicated the interaction, prompting detectives to bring in Spanish-speaking Detective Alejandro Jimenez as a translator. Martinez Solis, the 41-year-old driver, told investigators they had traveled from Durango, Mexico, to Denver on March 25 to purchase a vehicle before heading to Salt Lake City, Utah, the following day.

Martinez Solis later admitted to federal agents that Amador Gavira, 24, had purchased the ammunition in Utah – 150 boxes of .308 caliber and 30 boxes of 7.62 caliber, each containing 1,000 rounds. The address of the ammunition’s destination was allegedly saved on the cellphone of Amador Gavira, which was seized as evidence. (Related: Ammo supply company CEO slams UPS over missing ammunition deliveries.)

Both suspects, charged with unlawful possession of ammunition by an alien admitted under a non-immigrant visa, were taken to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility. They confirmed violating the terms of their visas by possessing ammunition. Martinez Solis was issued multiple citations, including operating an uninsured vehicle and illegally transporting hazardous materials, while Amador Gavira was cited for aiding in hazardous materials violations.

The case is now under federal investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) as part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide Department of Justice (DOJ) initiative targeting illegal immigration, drug cartels and violent crime networks.

DOJ launches “Operation Take Back America”

In March, the DOJ unveiled “Operation Take Back America,” directing federal prosecutors and law enforcement to prioritize the “most serious, readily provable offenses” – particularly those involving illegal aliens, cartels and sanctuary jurisdictions obstructing immigration enforcement.

According to the memorandum, the operation aims to repel the “invasion” of criminal aliens, utilizing Executive Order 14159 to counter what is described as a surge of violent offenders who pose a threat to national security. Federal agents will accelerate deportations of dangerous criminals post-incarceration, similar to existing jail screening programs.

Additionally, the strategy demands the total elimination of drug cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), labeling groups like MS-13 and the Sinaloa Cartel as terrorist entities under Executive Order 14157. Prosecutors are instructed to pursue the harshest penalties, including the death penalty for cartel leaders under revived statutes.

Sanctuary cities will face strict consequences, with legal action possible for jurisdictions obstructing immigration enforcement. Lastly, expanded homeland security task forces will bolster efforts against human trafficking, drug smuggling and cartel activities through enhanced state-federal collaboration.

The DOJ has given prosecutors two weeks to consolidate cases under the operation. State and local law enforcement will be pressured to hand over cartel and immigration-related cases to federal authorities – or risk losing funding.

Check out Dangerous.news for more similar stories.

Watch the video below to learn more about the missing ammunition shipped through UPS.

This video is from the Martin Brodel channel on Brighteon.com.

Routine traffic stop leads to arrest of Mexican nationals transporting massive ammunition cache in Colorado

DOJ launches “Operation Take Back America”

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