Texas law enforcement officers have successfully captured two of the three suspected cartel members spotted sneaking across the United States’ southern border last week, Fox News reports. The Mexican nationals, seen equipped with ballistic gear, rifles, and armor-piercing rounds, successfully evaded capture after their first crossing but were apprehended during a second crossing in the same area.

As Valuetainment previously reported, black-and-white trail camera footage first obtained and released by Fox News showed suspected cartel gunmen entering the United States near Fronton, Texas. The grainy images showed three men carrying rifles and wearing backpacks and body armor sneaking through the brush.

Texas law enforcement officers have captured two of the three suspected cartel members spotted carrying weapons across the southern border last week. Authorities have caught two cartel members coming across the southern border. (Fox News/law enforcement sources)
(Fox News/law enforcement sources)

Following that report, Fox obtained confirmation that two of the men have been captured after attempting to reenter the United States for a second time. The weapons and ammo they carried with them—an AK-47 and an M4, six magazines loaded with 5.56 rounds, several armor-piercing rounds, and a machete—were also recovered.

“In a multi-agency effort, DPS Texas Rangers Special Operations Group, Texas Game Wardens, and US Border Patrol apprehended two Mexican nationals with suspected ties to a transnational criminal organization. The men were in possession of two rifles and armor-piercing ammo,” a spokesperson from the Texas Department of Public Safety said.

“There is no greater public safety and national security threat than the Mexican drug cartels, who have exploited security vulnerabilities due to an unsecured international border,” the department’s statement continued. “This joint effort highlights the importance of collaborating with local, county, state, and federal agencies for one common goal – keeping our state and country safe.”

The third man is believed to have escaped back into Mexico.

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