ICE Rio Grande Valley, federal partner investigation results in a woman admitting to smuggling firearms into Mexico

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A Georgia woman entered a guilty plea April 1 to smuggling several firearms and magazines hidden in a vehicle’s gas tank, following an investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

According to court documents, on Dec. 15, 2024, Mirna Luna, 38, attempted to cross at the Brownsville/Matamoros port of entry into Mexico. When she arrived to the Port of Entry, authorities had referred her to secondary inspection where they discovered 17 firearms and 27 magazines hidden in the gas tank of the Nissan car she was driving. Luna claimed ownership of the car and admitted she is the only person who drives it. She does not have a license to export firearms and has not applied for one.

U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. accepted the plea and set sentencing for July 8. At that time, Luna faces a maximum of 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 maximum possible fine.

She remains in custody pending sentencing.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jose Esquivel and Ana Cano from the Southern District of Texas prosecuted the case.