A man was sentenced to 10 years in prison in connection with smuggling military-grade weapons from the U.S. into Mexico, officials say.
Luis Enrique Beltran-Beltran, 41, of Mexico pleaded guilty to an indictment that charged him with conspiracy to unlawfully export and aiding the unlawful possession of machine guns, grenades, and grenade launchers.Β
During the investigation, officials learned that Beltran sought to purchase and smuggle as many as 10 machine guns and 50 grenades every week, said a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.Β
Beltran also directed many others to smuggle more than 50,000 rounds of ammunition, the release says.
The case was prosecuted in Tucson and involved ATF and the Department of Homeland Security.
