U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Friday arrested a man after finding nearly 50 pounds of cocaine hidden inside the fuel tank of the vehicle he drove to the Hidalgo port of entry.
A criminal complaint said the discovery followed an X-ray scan that showed anomalies in the vehicle driven to the bridge by Cesar Morales Jr., a U.S. citizen born in 2003.
Morales is charged with the illegal importation of a controlled substance and conspiracy to do the same.
After a physical search, CBP officers removed “20 tape wrapped, cellphone wrapped and vacuum sealed packages” of cocaine that weighed approximately 47 pounds, according to a complaint.
During an interview, federal authorities said Morales stated an unknown person hired him and that he expected to be paid, according to the complaint.
Morales was scheduled to make a first appearance Monday in McAllen federal court in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Juan F. Alanis, court records indicate.
