There were more than soft drinks in three soda cases a 38-year-old was trying to cross from the United States to Mexico, according to a federal criminal complaint.
Christian Michel Parra De Fernandez, address unknown, was transporting 750 rounds of ammunition in the soda cases, officials allege. The ammunition was found inside her vehicle during an inspection Wednesday at the Brownsville & Matamoros International Bridge in Brownsville, the federal criminal complaint reads.
According to the federal criminal complaint, 500 rounds of 9 mm ammunition; 120 rounds of 243 Winchester ammunition; 50 rounds of 380 ammunition; 40 rounds of 308 Winchester ammunition; and 40 rounds of 25-06 Remington ammunition were found concealed in the soft drink cases.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working the outbound lanes at the bridge stopped a Chevrolet Silverado pickup that Parra was driving across the bridge as she attempted to leave the U.S., the federal criminal complaint reads. When questioned by the agents, the woman told them she did not have any weapons, ammunition, or other contraband in the truck.
CBP officers and Homeland Security Investigation agents searched the truck and found three cases of soft drinks that contained ammunition sealed in them.
During questioning with HSI agents, Parra told the agents “that she concealed the ammunition inside the cases of sodas, and she was going to deliver ammunition to unknown persons in Matamoros,” the federal criminal complaint read.
She also said admitted she knew it was illegal to smuggle ammunition into Mexico and that she never applied for a license that would allow her to do so, authorities said in the complaint.
Parra appeared in federal court Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ronald G. Morgan, who ordered she be held without bond. Her next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 31.
