U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the Hidalgo Port of Entry discovered nearly 45 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in car batteries Tuesday.
The discovery followed an encounter with Richard Nares, who was born in 1972 and charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
A criminal complaint said Nares arrived at the bridge in his white Dodge truck at about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.
During primary inspection, the inspecting officer noticed two commercial sized batteries in the truck’s backseat, according to the complaint.
The officer who inspected one of the batteries noticed its weight was not consistent with batteries of a similar size that the officer had previously inspected.
“The (officer) shook the battery and noticed a rattling sound which the (officer) considered suspicious,” the complaint said.
CBP referred Nares to a secondary inspection where an X-ray revealed anomalies in the batteries, which a drug-sniffing dog alerted to, according to the complaint.
Authorities then dismantled the batteries and found two bundles in each one. CBP also found two bundles in the truck’s connected batteries, according to the complaint.
Investigators say Nares admitted during an interview that he tried to smuggle the drugs for financial gain.
He was scheduled to make a first appearance Tuesday morning in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Juan F. Alanis.
