A disturbing report from Colombian outlet Noticias Caracol has uncovered a growing trend in international arms smuggling, where U.S.-purchased firearms are shipped to Colombia hidden inside everyday electronics. These weapons are ending up in the hands of terrorist organizations like the FARC and ELN.
According to Colombian authorities, traffickers are recruiting young, economically vulnerable Colombians to receive packages that appear to be innocuous items such as televisions or speakers. These devices are shipped through courier services from the United States. In multiple cases, unsuspecting young men were promised small payments to accept the deliveries. Some are now facing prison or extradition for their involvement.
In one documented operation, a 23-year-old in Bogotá received a television containing a concealed rifle. He told investigators the package was for a “friend” who paid him less than $72 to accept it. Law enforcement agents, alerted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, tracked the shipment and intervened upon delivery.
Another operation in Medellín intercepted a speaker package concealing a rifle. The 20-year-old recipient claimed he had been offered less than $50 to retrieve the item. Two other men, including a Puerto Rican national, were arrested after attempting to flee the scene. Authorities estimate that the firearm inside was worth over $23,000 and could fetch three times that on the black market.
Colombian police have seized over 8,000 firearms in 2025 alone, averaging one every 20 minutes. These weapons primarily fuel criminal violence in major cities like Cali, Medellín, and Barranquilla.
Colonel Yorguin Malagón of the Tax and Customs Police emphasized that these young recruits are often unaware of the contents and are deliberately selected due to poverty or psychological vulnerability. Some face extradition due to the U.S. origin of the firearms.
The collaboration between U.S. Homeland Security Investigations and Colombian authorities remains critical in combating this growing cross-border threat.
