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A 43-year-old Weslaco resident was sentenced Wednesday for importing 101 bricks of meth hidden in his vehicle in April, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas.
Arnulfo Hinojosa Jr. was sentenced to 11 years in prison after pleading guilty Aug. 1 for transporting meth through the Rio Grande City Port of Entry.
“At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Hinojosa played an integral role in smuggling illegal narcotics into the United States,” the release said.
On April 22, Hinojosa arrived at the RGC Port of Entry and claimed to not have any illegal drugs in his vehicle when he was referred to the secondary inspection area.
It was there that a K-9 unit gave an alert to the odor of narcotics.
A search of his vehicle revealed 101 bricks of meth which weighed nearly 310 pounds found in hidden compartments under the vehicle’s cargo bed.
It was determined the estimated street value of the meth was about $350,000.
During his plea, Hinojosa admitted to knowing that he was smuggling narcotics into the U.S.
Hinojosa will remain in custody pending transfer to a prison facility determined in the future.
In a statement, Craig Larrabee, Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio special agent in charge, said the agency with its partners have an unwavering commitment to protect South Texas by tenaciously pursuing drug traffickers.
“The threat posed by methamphetamine dictates that agencies not only deconflict and coordinate, but also collaborate,” Larrabee said. “The investigation and prosecution are a perfect example of collaboration across agencies and throughout the country, highlighting our collective effort to safeguard our communities from the scourge of illegal drugs.”
