Phoenix woman accused of trying to smuggle rifles, RPG launcher, other weapons into Mexico

A federal grand jury has indicted a Phoenix woman for allegedly trying to smuggle firearms, weapons parts and an RPG launcher tube into Mexico, authorities announced Tuesday.

Migdelia Irma Mendoza was charged with attempting to smuggle goods from the U.S. after authorities said she tried to cross the Arizona-Mexico border with the prohibited items in her vehicle, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.

Mendoza was arrested after officers discovered the weapons in the Lexus she was driving through the DeConcini Port of Entry in Nogales on April 19, prosecutors said.

Before the vehicle search, Mendoza had passed multiple signs warning that firearms and ammunition were prohibited.

During an outbound inspection, officers folded down the vehicle’s rear seat and found nonfactory black fabric beneath it.

Aside from RPG launcher tube, what other weapons did officers find?

After feeling objects under the fabric that did not appear to be part of the vehicle, they scanned the car to confirm the abnormalities and conducted a closer inspection.

Authorities said they found:

• Four AR-style rifles
• 16 AK-style rifles
• One AK-style pistol
• One RPG-7 launcher tube
• 20 firearm pistol grips
• 16 rifle buttstocks
• 24 AK-style firearm magazines

Prosecutors said Mendoza did not have a valid U.S. government-issued export license, meaning she was prohibited from exporting the items.

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