Cops: Cartel brought kids to buy AK-47s

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Three suspected members of the Los Zetas drug cartel were arrested in Austin last week. Police say they tried to buy several AK-47 machine guns from a police informant.

According to federal court documents, Juan Carillo-Gallegos, 29, was acting as a middle man for the person who wanted to purchase the assault rifles. He and the informant agreed on a price of $1,500 each or $7,500 for five weapons.

The informant was told the Los Zetas needed the weapons to support their operations in Piedras Negras, Mexico.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives provided the Austin Police Department with five fully automatic AK-47s.

A meeting was set up between Carillo-Gallegos, Jorge Garcia, 29 and Mary Siller, 31 at a location in Travis County.

According to the complaint, Siller showed up with her daughters, ages 13 and 9 and were insistent they be there for the purchase. The informant started arguing with them stating he would not do the deal with the children.

They left the children at that location and moved to a new location to complete the purchase. At that time, the three were arrested.

Police said after the arrest, all three suspects gave full confessions and told police they had five more assault rifles at their home in San Antonio.

Austin police are expected to release more information about the arrest Wednesday.