Mexican nationals were caught carrying 180,000 rounds of ammunition in their minivan after Colorado cops pulled them over during a traffic stop. 

Caesar Ramon Martinez Solis, 41, and Humberto Ivan Amador Gavira, 24, both from Mexico, allegedly tried to move about 150 boxes of .308 ammunition and 30 boxes of 7.62 ammunition – 1,000 rounds each – from Utah to Colorado on March 26. 

Fremont County Sheriff’s Office (FSCO) detectives made the deadly discovery after noticing a white Chevrolet van driving by them without dimming its headlights, which violates state law, according to an affidavit obtained by the Canon City Daily Record. 

Police said the vehicle also turned without its blinker and did not have a license plate lamp, leading to the men being pulled over and ultimately arrested in Canon City, Colorado. 

Upon opening the back doors of the van, police found stacks of cardboard boxes labeled with explosive warnings. 

Amador Gavira and Martinez Solis have been charged with Unlawful Possession of Ammunition by Alien Admitted Under a Nonimmigrant Visa, according to a press release from the US Attorney’s Office, District of Colorado. 

Both men reportedly had valid B2 nonimmigrant visas, which are meant for temporary stays in the US and are generally issued for tourism purposes.  

Martinez Solis, who waived his right to an attorney and spoke with the US Department of Homeland Security, claimed he and Amador Gavira, his brother-in-law, traveled from Mexico to Denver the previous day, March 25, the affidavit states. 

Caesar Ramon Martinez Solis, 41, and Humberto Ivan Amador Gavira, 24, both from Mexico, allegedly tried to move about 150 boxes of .308 ammunition and 30 boxes of 7.62 ammunition – 1,000 rounds each (pictured: boxes of ammo found in the back of the truck) 

Police said the white van turned without its blinker and did not have a license plate lamp, leading to the men being pulled over – and ultimately arrested – in Canon City, Colorado (pictured: aerial shot of Canon City) 

The men reportedly purchased a vehicle in Denver and headed over to Salt Lake City, Utah, to look at another vehicle they wanted to buy. 

In Salt Lake City, Amador Gavira allegedly bought the abundance of ammo at a firearms store, Martinez Solis told investigators. 

Martinez Solis also claimed he did not know what his brother-in-law’s plans for the lethal materials were, but he assumed they were going to be brought to Pueblo, Colorado, according to the affidavit. 

He said he did not know their exact destination, but reportedly referred police to his accomplice’s phone for the address. 

Police did not specify where the men were headed, the Canon City Daily Record reported. 

The Denver Field Office of Homeland Security, the FSCO and the Denver Field Office of Homeland Security, the FSCO are investigating the concerning incident. 

This case’s prosecution is being handled by the Violent Crime and Immigration Enforcement Section of the US Attorney’s Office.

Amador Gavira and Martinez Solis’ shocking arrests fall under the Donald Trump administration’s Operation Take Back America. 

The Mexican nationals allegedly arrived in the US the day before their arrests and purchased a car in Denver (pictured: stock image of a white Chevrolet van) 

President Donald Trump (pictured) launched the Operation Take Back America initiative to fight against crime and illegal immigration to the US 

Operation Take Back America is a Department of Justice initiative to ‘repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations,’ the US Attorney’s Office said.

The efforts ‘streamline’ resources from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and the Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) Program.