Martín Édgar Garza Pacheco, a 42-year-old from Melchor Múzquiz, Coahuila, was sentenced to 84 months in prison after being found guilty of conspiracy to traffic firearms from the United States to Mexico. The announcement was made by Justin R. Simmons, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas. Garza Pacheco's arrest occurred on April 22, 2023, at the Eagle Pass port of entry, following a comprehensive investigation by the Department of Justice regarding arms trafficking between the two countries.

The investigation revealed that Garza Pacheco, alongside co-conspirators Shiddartha Salinas Ávila and Víctor Ulysses Ybarra-Daniels, managed to purchase a total of 36 firearms from various retail locations in the San Antonio area. After making the purchases, Garza Pacheco would transport the firearms in his vehicle and smuggle them back into Mexico. His accomplice Ybarra-Daniels was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison on October 8 for his role in the conspiracy, highlighting a significant crackdown on illegal arms trafficking along the U.S.-Mexico border.

This case underscores the ongoing issue of arms trafficking in the region, with firearms purchased legally in the United States often finding their way into the hands of criminals in Mexico. The U.S. government has been increasingly vigilant in combating this cross-border crime, which is associated with the violence and instability seen in parts of Mexico. Garza Pacheco's lengthy sentence reflects the severity with which authorities are treating such offenses as they seek to curb the flow of dangerous weapons into Mexico's black market.