Federal agents with the FBI Denver say their latest push under Operation Summer Heat pulled a stash of dangerous weapons, drugs, and more than $26,000 in suspected drug money off Pueblo streets this week. Among the haul: a handgun converted to fire fully automatic with a 40-round magazine, a Glock 34 (Austria, 9x19), and an evidence inventory listing more than 250 grams of cocaine. FBI Denver said the work depended on close coordination with the Pueblo Police Department and other state and local partners.
According to a post on X by FBI Denver, agents logged a conversion-equipped handgun with a 40-round magazine, a Glock 34 chambered in 9x19, more than 250 grams of cocaine, and $26,059 in seized U.S. currency. The post credited close work with the Pueblo Police Department and other state and local partners and noted that local prosecutors and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will decide whether federal charges are filed as investigations continue.
What the law says about conversion devices
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) says that conversion devices and parts that allow a handgun to fire fully automatic are treated as machine guns under federal law and are illegal to possess without registration or proper licensing. ATF and recent federal cases note that so-called "switches" or auto-sears can bring prison time and heavy fines when connected to criminal activity. Enforcement of those statutes is routinely coordinated with federal prosecutors and local partners.
Part of a national Summer Heat 2.0 surge
As outlined by the FBI, the current iteration of Operation Summer Heat launched in early June as a nationwide, roughly 95-day push targeting violent offenders, drug networks, and gangs. The bureau has highlighted rapid deployments and cross-agency task forces as a way to replicate takedowns in multiple cities, with the stated goal of getting guns and narcotics off the street that fuel neighborhood violence.
Pueblo has seen similar sweeps
Pueblo was the focus of a concentrated five-week sweep last August and September that authorities said at the time resulted in 20 arrests and the seizure of more than 40 firearms, along with several pounds of cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl, as reported by KOAA. Those numbers lined up with FBI accounts of Summer Heat activity across southern Colorado and Wyoming. Local law enforcement told reporters the partnership model is key to keeping pressure on violent offenders.
FBI Denver's post summed up the latest round bluntly, stating "Teamwork saves lives," and reminded residents that tips and information can be submitted online at the FBI tip portal or by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI. For the bureau’s post and the official inventory of items seized, see FBI Denver on X.
