http://www.thecalifornian.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080802/NEWS01/808020320/1002/NEWS17
Two lawmen from Salinas-area police departments are in a Mexican jail, accused of trying to smuggle guns and ammunition into the country, authorities said.
The officers, who work for the Soledad and Presidio of Monterey police departments, were arrested Friday morning.
In the early afternoon, a Mexican Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent informed both police departments of the arrests, which occurred during a routine vehicle inspection in Tijuana, Mexico, Presidio police and the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center said in a statement.
While inspecting the car, custom enforcement agents found about 5,000 rounds of mixed-caliber ammunition, two guns, tactical training equipment and a pair of laptop
computers, Presidio police said.
The Presidio Police Department identified its officer, a civilian, as Sgt. Jorge Matos. Soledad Police Chief Richard Cox said this officer worked for his department until about four years ago. Cox would not release the name of the current Soledad police officer who was arrested, citing an internal investigation.
Both police departments said they ordered an audit of their departments' guns, ammunition and equipment and found nothing missing.
The gun that the Soledad police officer is accused of trying to smuggle into Mexico was his department-issued firearm, Cox said.
Friday was the officer's regular day off, the chief said, adding that more information will likely be made public Monday.
If convicted, the officers could face up to 20 years in prison, he said.
"This is a rare and isolated event," Cox said. "We're surprised, but we'll get to the bottom of this."
Two lawmen from Salinas-area police departments are in a Mexican jail, accused of trying to smuggle guns and ammunition into the country, authorities said.
The officers, who work for the Soledad and Presidio of Monterey police departments, were arrested Friday morning.
In the early afternoon, a Mexican Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent informed both police departments of the arrests, which occurred during a routine vehicle inspection in Tijuana, Mexico, Presidio police and the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center said in a statement.
While inspecting the car, custom enforcement agents found about 5,000 rounds of mixed-caliber ammunition, two guns, tactical training equipment and a pair of laptop
computers, Presidio police said.
The Presidio Police Department identified its officer, a civilian, as Sgt. Jorge Matos. Soledad Police Chief Richard Cox said this officer worked for his department until about four years ago. Cox would not release the name of the current Soledad police officer who was arrested, citing an internal investigation.
Both police departments said they ordered an audit of their departments' guns, ammunition and equipment and found nothing missing.
The gun that the Soledad police officer is accused of trying to smuggle into Mexico was his department-issued firearm, Cox said.
Friday was the officer's regular day off, the chief said, adding that more information will likely be made public Monday.
If convicted, the officers could face up to 20 years in prison, he said.
"This is a rare and isolated event," Cox said. "We're surprised, but we'll get to the bottom of this."
