CBP Says Flow of Weapons Into Mexico, Central America, Is on a Sharp Rise

Most of the smuggling of contraband at the southern US Border is assumed to be heading north, but that's not always the case.

  US CBP says more and more weapons being  smuggled out of the country

In the latest of a growing number of weapons seizures, CBP agents intercepted a large cache of weapons in the Houston-Galveston Texas sector. Pictured in this story is an image from CBP from a recent bust.

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CPB says over the last two years, increasing numbers of weapons are being smuggled, or attempted, to Mexico and especially Central America, including Honduras.

According to CBP:

"In the past two years through June 2025, CBP has seized over 400 handguns and long arms, nearly 1,000 magazines and gun parts, and nearly 52,000 rounds of ammunition. The attempted smuggling of these guns and individual parts is often done by masking them within shipments of otherwise legitimate goods in shipping containers headed to sea."

Some of the weapons confiscated included 20 rounds of ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol) ammunition; a shotgun and 25 12-gauge shell;  2 pistols, scopes, 117 rounds of ammo and a red dot sight; and 2 rifles, magazines, and 769 rounds of ammo. All were bound for Honduras.

Some of the weapons were hidden in household furniture in a shipping container. CBP agents say these  weapons only add fuel and violence to areas of the world that  are already suffering from instability and chaos.