The U.S. is ‘Supplying’ Weapons to Mexico! Authorities Confirm a Massive Flow of Arms From the Border

“Sol Prendido” for Borderland Beat 

So far in 2026, 800 weapons and 78,000 rounds of ammunition have been seized at Texas’s eight border ports of entry. This report comes from Marco Fragoso. These are no ordinary weapons. 

In the Laredo sector, U.S. authorities have seized everything from Barrett .50-caliber rifles—capable of piercing armor—to gold-plated pistols featuring images of Saint Jude Thaddeus, the Mexican flag, and even some engraved with the surname “Trump.” These types of weapons are frequently intercepted at the gateway to Mexico. 

This is a .50-caliber weapon—specifically a Barrett .50 Cal.—which is also nicknamed “Tostón” in Mexico, a term used because of its .50-caliber size. 

There are also homemade weapons, crudely fashioned from steel pipes. It is an arsenal as diverse as it is alarming, yet it shares a single destination: across the border into Mexico. 

To curb this flow, enforcement tactics have evolved. Today, X-ray scanners allow agents to peer inside vehicles in mere seconds, while K9 units sniff out contraband that remains invisible to the naked eye. And for the authorities, there are signs of progress. 

In fiscal year 2025, across the eight ports of entry in South Texas—stretching from Brownsville to Laredo—more than 500 weapons and 54,000 rounds of ammunition were seized. Yet, in the short time elapsed in 2026, that figure has already surpassed 800 weapons and 78,000 rounds. 

Even so, concealment methods remain as ingenious as they are difficult to detect. Authorities explain that weapons are hidden using the very same methods employed to smuggle drugs or cash. 

“I mean, there are natural compartments within vehicles—you know, gas tanks, false floors.” 

And while authorities continue to refine their technology and strategies, the underlying problem continues to grow. They acknowledge that the greatest challenge lies not merely in detecting the weapons, but in the sheer volume and the persistent demand for them. 

“That, and… just the amount of weapons that are being requested.” 

Thus, amidst hidden compartments, cutting-edge technology, and an unrelenting demand, the border has become a high-stakes game of hide-and-seek—where every weapon that slips through risks fueling the violence plaguing Mexico.

Source: El Heraldo de México