Last week, a federal grand jury in Tucson indicted Andrea Villalva, 32, a resident of Tucson, Arizona, for allegedly smuggling goods from the United States. The incident in question occurred on March 7, 2024, at the DeConcini Port of Entry in Nogales, Arizona. During a routine vehicle inspection, Customs and Border Protection Officers reported discovering eight sealed cases of 5.56 XP193 rifle ammunition concealed behind the rear wall of Villalva's vehicle trunk. In total, 8,000 rounds of ammunition were found.
Villalva reportedly admitted to receiving $150 for each box of ammunition successfully smuggled into Mexico and confessed to having carried out similar actions on three previous occasions.
A conviction under this charge could result in a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.
This indictment comes as part of "Operation Take Back America," a national campaign coordinated by the Department of Justice. The operation aims to combat illegal immigration, dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from violent crime. It consolidates resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
An indictment in this context is a formal accusation of criminal activity. It does not imply guilt, and the individual involved is considered innocent until proven guilty in court.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie A. Sottosanti from the District of Arizona, Tucson, is prosecuting the case.