A man who tried to smuggle meth and cocaine through the Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge last year was sentenced to five years in prison on Friday.
Francisco Garduno Bobadilla, 58, of Mexico, was caught driving through the international bridge with meth and cocaine in his vehicle on Feb. 1, 2021.
Bobadilla drove a red Dodge Avenger but didn’t make it through inspection after a K-9 alerted to the presence of narcotics hidden inside the vehicle.
Authorities referred him to a secondary inspection, where they found bundles of cocaine and meth hidden within the panels of his vehicle.
More than 24 pounds of meth and more than 2 pounds of cocaine were found inside. The drugs were estimated to be worth over $100,000.
On April 29, Bobadilla pleaded guilty to knowingly and intentionally importing cocaine and meth into the United States from Mexico.
U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez ordered Bobadilla to serve 63 months in federal prison.
Bobadilla is not a U.S. citizen and is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.
“In handing down the sentence, the court noted that if someone agrees to involve themselves in a crime, even if only moments before it happens, they are still held liable,” said a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas.
Bobadilla will be transferred to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility in the near future, but will remain in custody until then.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Alexis Garcia prosecuted the case.
