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ARGENTINA | 12-07-2019 13:59

Florida scheme to smuggle weapons to Argentina busted

US officials say the probe led to the seizure 52 AR-15 assault rifles, 189 other long weapons, 156 handguns, 30,000 rounds of ammunition and US$110,000 in cash. Two other people were previously charged in the case.

Another person has been charged in Florida with taking part in a massive weapons smuggling operation to Argentina and elsewhere in South America.

This comes several weeks after the largest weapons seisure in Argentina’s history in which officials prevented 1,000 guns and hundreds of explosives from an international criminal gang from entering the country. 

Federal court records filed in Miami show that 47-year-old Cristian German Barrera of Palm Beach County is charged with violating arms export laws by allegedly shipping thousands of AR-15 rifle parts to Argentina. Two other people were previously charged in the case.

Court records did not list an attorney for Barrera, who has a bail hearing set next week in Miami federal court.

US Department of Homeland Security Investigations officials say the probe led to seizure 52 AR-15 assault rifles, 189 other long weapons, 156 handguns, 30,000 rounds of ammunition and US$110,000 in cash.

Argentine authorities arrested several other suspects. 

- TIMES/AP

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