Truck Driver Takes Wrong Turn While Hauling Ammo, Detained in Mexico

[JohnC]

Truck Driver Takes Wrong Turn While Hauling Ammo, Detained in Mexico

Read more: http://www.rifleshootermag.com/2012/04/20/truck-driver-takes-wrong-turn-while-hauling-ammo-detained-in-mexico/#ixzz1zMEyVBLF

It isn't looking good for this poor guy. heh

[DaveTN]

“Forced to cross the border†doesn’t sound right to me. Our Border Agents would have turned him around on our side.

Something else for the Mexican government to whine about.

[Timestepper]

“Forced to cross the border†doesn’t sound right to me. Our Border Agents would have turned him around on our side.

Something else for the Mexican government to whine about.

You've obviously never been to El Paso and The Bridge of America... It's alot easier to make this kind of screw up than most might imagine. In fact, I did the same thing back in '97 that this poor guy did, but luckily I was pulling an empty flatbed and was allowed to turn around and exit the country after a delay of only a few minutes.

[DaveTN]

You've obviously never been to El Paso and The Bridge of America... It's alot easier to make this kind of screw up than most might imagine. In fact, I did the same thing back in '97 that this poor guy did, but luckily I was pulling an empty flatbed and was allowed to turn around and exit the country after a delay of only a few minutes.

I don’t doubt he made a wrong turn. I just can’t imagine that if he told our agents that he has a load that would be illegal to take into Mexico, they would have told him, “You have to enter Mexico to turn aroundâ€.

No, I have never been there. When they have a suspect semi, do they have to let it enter Mexico to turn it around?

After Bogan's arrest, Mexican prosecutors initially said in a news release that the ammunition was stashed under the floorboards of the trailer.

Jose De La Rosa, Bogan's lawyer in Mexico, said that by showing that the bullets were not hidden and that his client had all the corresponding paperwork, he hopes to persuade the judge to throw out the charge of clandestine smuggling of military ammunition. It carries a possible prison term of five to 30 years.

Instead, De La Rosa said, he would settle for a charge of possession of ammunition. That carries a possible prison sentence of two to six years but could be converted into a fine because Bogan has no prison record, De La Rosa said. Bogan remains in a maximum-security prison in the state of Veracruz, some 200 miles east of Mexico City.

Mexican political leaders have blamed their U.S. counterparts for not doing enough to stem the flow of weapons and ammunition used by warring drug cartels. In February, Mexican President Felipe Calderon traveled to Ciudad Juarez and unveiled a billboard made out of destroyed guns that read "No More Weapons." The billboard is at the Bridge of the Americas and is intended to be seen from the U.S. side.

Read more here:

http://www.star-tele...l#storylink=cpy

The Mexican government will try to turn this into a big deal.

He should have told them he was hauling illegals or drugs into the U.S.; they probably would have let him go.

Edited July 1, 2012 by DaveTN

[TMF]

You've obviously never been to El Paso and The Bridge of America... It's alot easier to make this kind of screw up than most might imagine. In fact, I did the same thing back in '97 that this poor guy did, but luckily I was pulling an empty flatbed and was allowed to turn around and exit the country after a delay of only a few minutes.

Hmm, I've walked over the bridge in El Paso going into Juarez... didn't want to park in Juarez, ya know? I don't remember there being a US checkpoint to drive through going in. For some reason I thought it was one way and you only went through a checkpoint on the way back. I might be remembering this wrong. Chances are I was really, really drunk.

Edited July 1, 2012 by TMF 18B

[dats82]

Like some of the comments on the story, it is ridiculous that this guy is in jail for a mistake and Eric Holder is free as a bird. I know he is in Mexican custody, so it is not really a parallel.

[scoutfsu]

Didn't this happen in April?

There is a small US checkpoint leaving the States. It is still difficult to miss all of the signs telling you where Mexico is and what you're about to do. TMF - unless something has changed, they stopped letting US personnel cross over back in '08 when Juarez was literally at war and people were getting their heads chopped off.

Sucks about all that lost ammo but Mexico is being dramatic and trying to milk outrage over what I think probably was an accident.

[Defender]

Wonder if he worked for the ATF?

[DaveTN]

Mexico let some ammo cross the border.

http://www.elpasotim...ews/ci_20015986

Of course there is nothing we can do, even when they think it was fired by a Mexican cop. The woman deserves a payday from Mexico. Lets see how that works out.

[vontar]

Wait a FRAKING minute here. Hasn't there been numerous cases of Mexican Army (accidentally) crossing our border at one of our check points and we just turned them around and sent them back?http://articles.cnn.com/2011-07-27/world/mexico.us.incursion_1_mexican-soldiers-mexican-officials-military-vehicles?_s=PM:WORLD "Four Humvees carrying 33 Mexican soldiers crossed the border into the United States, and officials on both sides say it was a harmless mistake."

[Will H]

Well, as we all know the Mexican government has been unable to do much of anything to shut down the cartels. This is one of those little things that will make their people think the government is on the job and making a difference.

[Dolomite_supafly]

Hmm, I've walked over the bridge in El Paso going into Juarez... didn't want to park in Juarez, ya know? I don't remember there being a US checkpoint to drive through going in. For some reason I thought it was one way and you only went through a checkpoint on the way back. I might be remembering this wrong. Chances are I was really, really drunk.

When were you down there? I have made that walk hundreds of times myself.

The worst part about going into Mexico back then was realizing you lost your fee to come back into the US. I would always put the money in a pocket so I wouldn't loose it but I did a few times. When I did I would find myself on the Mexican side of the border next to the Chiclet kids begging for change from fellow Americans going home.

The best part? Coming across and buying a CHEAP pizza from an off duty Dominos driver within minutes of being in the US. Nothing better for a long night of drinking than a greasy, stale pepperoni pizza.

Bought many a sandwiches at Fred's Rainbow Bar on the side street behind the main bars. Fred's was run by a couple of American twins. Rumor had it that they were albinos but I think they were so white from lack of sun from sitting in a bar all day and night. They made some of the best sandwiches anywhere and on top of that you could get $.25 Tecate or $.50 Coronas. Then it was onto Spanky's for some fun downstairs and their mini beer bottles that were like a 4 ounce bottle of beer. Then before the night was over we found ourselves in the Cosmo.

Something interesting about Mexican Coronas. The bottles were opaque but not made that way. It was from people scratching their initials into the bottle. The bars would turn the bottles back in to be reused and some said they would be sold again the following weekend. But anytime you bought a Corona you looked it over for YOUR initials.

Dolomite

[TMF]

Didn't this happen in April?

There is a small US checkpoint leaving the States. It is still difficult to miss all of the signs telling you where Mexico is and what you're about to do. TMF - unless something has changed, they stopped letting US personnel cross over back in '08 when Juarez was literally at war and people were getting their heads chopped off.

Sucks about all that lost ammo but Mexico is being dramatic and trying to milk outrage over what I think probably was an accident.

Around 2005 before the war started. Juarez wasn't really that bad then with the exception of maybe being robbed. There are measures you can take to prevent that though. Had quite a good time there.

Of course, the ban on going into Juarez hasn't stopped everyone. Not too long ago a couple of Airmen were shot to death in one of those cartel hits... wrong place wrong time.