Bust leads border agents to heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and 32K pills

A lack of luggage in two vehicles that arrived at the Falfurrias checkpoint at the same time early Friday morning resulted in two arrests and the seizure of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and 32,500 oxycodone pills.

The drivers of those vehicles, Clarissa Hernandez and Sarah Morales, are both charged with possession with the intent to distribute multiple controlled substances, according to the criminal complaint.

In all, Border Patrol agents seized about 2 pounds of heroin, a little less than a pound of fentanyl, 61 pounds of cocaine and 32,500 oxycodone pills.

The complaint says Hernandez arrived first at the checkpoint at around 12:45 a.m. in a red 2014 Chevrolet Captiva and told a Border Patrol agent that she was going to Houston following a surgery in Mexico.

“BPA Krukowski noticed that there was no luggage and a spare tire in the rear of the vehicle,” the complaint stated.

During the questioning, a drug-sniffing dog alerted to the vehicle and she was directed for a secondary inspection, according to Border Patrol.

As this is happening, a black 2014 Ford Edge approached another primary inspection lane and failed to stop, causing Border Patrol agents to yell for the vehicle to stop. The driver, Morales, did stop, though Border Patrol noted she was extremely nervous and wanted to abruptly leave, according to the complaint.

“Morales stated that she usually goes through the other lanes, so she did not know she needed to stop,” the complaint stated. “Morales stated that she was also going to Houston, Texas returning from Mexico visiting a family member.”

Like Hernandez, Border Patrol noticed she had no luggage in her vehicle and during questioning, a drug-sniffing dog also alerted to her vehicle and she was also referred for a secondary inspection, according to the complaint.

An X-ray of both vehicles revealed anomalies in the bumpers of each vehicle, according to Border Patrol.

Agents found heroin, fentanyl and cocaine in Morales’ vehicle and found more cocaine and the oxycodone pills in Hernandez’s vehicle, according to the complaint.

Border Patrol says it also found approximately $4,000 in Hernandez’s undergarments.

Hernandez told investigators she didn’t know about the drugs and Morales requested an attorney, according to the complaint.

Both suspects made a first appearance Monday morning in Corpus Christi federal court in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Julie K. Hampton, who ordered them temporarily held without bond pending detention and probable cause hearings scheduled for later this week.