American Arrested At Los Cabos Airport For Possession Of A Firearm

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Last Updated 1 year ago

Local authorities at the Cabo airport released information today about an arrest that they conducted on March 15th.

On that date, an American man identified only through his first name (as is required by Mexican law) “Jermetria ” was arrested for possession of a firearm and ammo after being searched at the airport.

According to local police, the man was found in possession of a weapon that in Mexico can only be used by the military. 

The gun was reportedly loaded, and the man had another 18 rounds of the 40 mm caliber weapon in his luggage. A judge in Los Cabos authorized the prosecution to initiate an investigation.

This means that the American man will have to spend two months behind bars before his sentence is even carried out.

According to Mexican law, anyone found carrying a weapon or ammo without a permit can face up to 5 years in prison. 

U.S. Permits Are Not Valid In Mexico

It’s unknown whether the American detained at the Cabo airport was carrying this weapon with a permit issued by U.S. authorities.

That would seem unlikely since he would’ve probably been stopped by authorities in the U.S. before boarding a flight to Cabo.

In any case, even if travelers have valid permits issued in the United States to carry weapons within the country, these permits are not valid in Mexico.

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The Santa Cruz sheriff’s department in Arizona clarifies the penalties that U.S. residents could face if they carry weapons into Mexico without a proper permit, saying, 

“The offense carries stiff penalties; possession of a single weapon or bullet carries a penalty of up to 5 years in Mexican prison” the department goes on to say, “Any tourist not admitting his or her possession of a firearm will be treated as an arms smuggler and is ineligible for bail.”

This is exactly the scenario that the American man arrested at the Cabo airport is allegedly facing.

Is There A Way To Carry Weapons Into Mexico Legally?

There are certain weapons, primarily those considered “sports rifles” used for hunting, that can be carried across the border.

To be able to do so legally, travelers would have to obtain a permit from a Mexican consulate before they attempt to cross the border with any type of weapon.

After obtaining the permit, travelers will also be required to follow strict protocols when it comes to how the weapons can be stored throughout the travel.

Rifles have to be stored without any rounds in the chamber, and any ammo has to be placed in a completely different bag away from the weapon.

Another thing to point out is that weapons that are considered “sports rifles” within the USA or another country will not necessarily be given the same distinction in Mexico.

Therefore, the Mexican consulate can deny any permits for the transport of weapons on that basis. In the case of the American that was recently detained at the Cabo airport, he would not have been able to obtain a permit since the weapon in question is labeled as one that is for the exclusive use of the Mexican military. 

Can You Get In Trouble For Trying To Bring Fishing Gear to Mexico?

Fishing gear like rods and hooks can be transported to Mexico. You just need to make sure that all of the gear that you want to take is put into your checked bags.

If you want to be extra safe, it’s probably better to buy hooks while in Cabo.

Things like pocket knives that you may be accustomed to using for fishing are not items that you’re going to want to put in your checked bag or carry-on.

Mexico has rather strict regulations when it comes to transporting knives that are longer than 4 inches. Even smaller knives, though, could get travelers in trouble.

The best way to ensure that you won’t have an issue at the Cabo airport is to leave knives and weapons behind when traveling to the area.