Three arrested in LA police sting on arms smugglers

Three Philippine nationals have been arrested for attempting to sell military-grade weapons, including grenade and mortar launchers, to undercover US police officers.

Sergio Santiago de Leon Syjuco, Cesar Paolo Inciong Ubaldo and Arjyl Revereza all believed that they were selling the weapons to a Mexican drug cartel for use in Mexico and the United States. Officers spent 10 months working undercover to build trust with the men, and spent thousands of dollars purchasing other contraband weapons from them.

The smuggling operation appears to have been assisted by the fact that Revereza was a Philippine customs official. The suspects could face a maximum of 20 years in prison if convicted.