A 28-year-old woman’s demeanor tipped off law enforcement officers that she had something to hide, a federal criminal complaint reads.
When U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers Thursday asked Rosa Maria Alvarez what she was concealing as she was seen clutching her waistline with her hands, she stated it was a handgun, the federal criminal complaint states.
Alvarez, address unknown, was arrested and charged with knowingly conspiring to export items from the United States contrary to any law or regulation of the U.S., authorities said.
The incident occurred Thursday as Alvarez was crossing the Gateway International Bridge from Brownsville to Mexico, officials said.
Officers working outbound lanes at the bridge stopped a Chevrolet Tahoe Alvarez was driving for inspection as it was headed into Mexico, the federal criminal complaint states.
She was asked if she was carrying any firearms or other contraband and Alvarez said no, officials said. She was asked to get out of her vehicle, and this is when the officers noticed her hands going to her waistline, the federal criminal complaint reads.
Alvarez told the officers she had a handgun in her waistline area, officials said. When the officers conducted a further search of Alvarez, they found one handgun in each of the boots she was wearing, according to the federal criminal complaint.
The officers searched the Tahoe and found ammunition and magazines and other personal items, officials said. Homeland Security Investigation special agents interviewed Alvarez and she told them she had “concealed three handguns, six magazines and 150 rounds of ammunition with the intent to smuggle the items into Mexico and to deliver to persons in Jimenez, Tamaulipas, Mexico,” the federal criminal complaint states.
In all, the officers found one .22 LR caliber handgun, one .22 WMR caliber handgun, one 380 automatic handgun, two .22 LR magazines, two 380 auto magazines, two .22WMR magazines and 100 rounds of 380 auto caliber ammunition and 50 rounds of 38 S&W caliber ammunition, according to the federal criminal complaint.
The federal criminal complaint states that Alvarez admitted she knew it was illegal to smuggle firearms and ammunition into Mexico and that she did not apply from a license to export the items.
Alvarez appeared Friday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ignacio Torteya III who ordered she be held without bond. Her next hearing is scheduled for Aug. 18.
