Ammunition of various calibres, gunpowder and material for the maintenance and manufacture of weapons were intercepted this Monday (07.10.2019) by inspectors of the National Customs Service of Chile in the port of Iquique (north). This is the largest discovery of its kind in the northern zone and the Public Prosecutor's Office has started the investigative processes, reports the official statement.
In total they were intercepted 3.314 ammunition of different calibers, 13.200 ballistic projectiles, 24 kilos 750 grams of special gunpowder, hundreds of cartridges, a machine for manufacturing and calibrating projectiles and various items for the manufacture and maintenance of weapons, as well as cases for transporting rifles.
The mayor of Tarapacá, Miguel Angel Quezada, highlighted the great work of Customs and the strategic coordination it has with various services, “which accounts for the positive results that the Secure Border Plan to deal with these types of cross-border operations. This ultimately translates into greater security for the community by preventing ammunition from reaching the streets.”.
The highest regional authority praised the work of the Customs Analysis Unit and the work carried out, which is added to that carried out by the Strategic Coordination Unit and which will allow the Public Prosecutor's Office to follow an investigative line to see all the artists, both national and international.
The Regional Director of the Iquique Customs, Cristian Molina Silva, explained that after an investigation that lasted more than 60 days, it was possible to profile, select and follow the traceability of a container that was coming from Miami, United States to Iquique. "Our Risk Analysis Unit developed a series of actions which allowed us to reach the certainty of being faced with a possible threat, which is why the container was intervened and the work protocols were activated in conjunction with the Regional Public Prosecutor's Office and its specialized Criminal Focus unit.", he pointed.
The regional prosecutor of the Public Ministry, Raúl Arancibia Cerda, noted that “For us, this discovery by Customs is of the utmost importance, not only because of the large quantity of ammunition found and the accessories for making weapons, but also because a machine was found to make high-calibre projectiles and everything necessary for this type of manufacture. This confirms the concerns that we have been raising for some time now regarding the entry of weapons into the region., which also affects the feeling of insecurity that exists in Tarapacá, due, among other situations, to several shootings that have occurred in recent weeks. Now, with the collaboration of Customs and the PDI, it is up to us as the Prosecutor's Office to begin the investigation to determine the complete traceability of this shipment, to whom it was destined and who shipped all of this in the United States."
Inventory
The items include six sets that include triggers, firing pins, grips and the frame of a pistol, as well as the same number of barrels and parts that can also be used to convert a pistol into a rifle. There are also 6 magazines of 75 rounds each for AK-47 assault rifles, eight magazines for MP5 submachine guns, 16 magazines of 30 rounds for 9 mm Glock pistols, seven magazines of 20 rounds for rifles, 300 12-gauge shotgun rounds, eleven boxes with a total of 300 12-gauge shotgun cartridges, three boxes with 999 .22-caliber bullets, five boxes with 100 tracer bullets, thirteen boxes with 260 units of .308 win caliber bullets, one box with 25 12-caliber shotgun rounds, one box with 50 .38 special caliber bullets, ten boxes with 250 units of bullets, six boxes with 600 12-caliber units, two boxes with 200 .22-caliber bullets, two boxes with 200 .308 win caliber cartridges, two boxes with 1.050 units of 22 long caliber bullets, four boxes with 400 units of 12 caliber shotgun bullets, eight boxes with 8 thousand bullet tips, 91 boxes with 9.100 22 short caliber projectiles, among other items.
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