An Arizona man was in custody Wednesday after his arrest on suspicion of illegally smuggling firearms and ammunition into the state.
U.S. Border Patrol agents stopped a vehicle traveling westbound Monday near Chiriaco Summit due to the vehicle’s “suspicious and unsafe” actions, according to Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Cameron James.
During the stop, agents allegedly discovered a large cache of 29 illegal firearms, including 27 assault rifles, a bolt action rifle and a semi-automatic pistol with miscellaneous ammunition. Fifteen of the weapons had obliterated serial numbers, James said.
The agents identified the driver as Phoenix resident Alexis Ayala Molina, 22. They arrested Molina and determined that the weapons were being smuggled from Tempe, Arizona into California, authorities said.
Molina was booked into the John Benoit Detention Center in Indio and held on $55,000 bail. He is expected to be charged with three weapons-related counts during his arraignment at the Larson Justice Center on Friday.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about the incident was encouraged to contact Gang Task Force Officer Martinez at 760-836-1600.