A man from Monterrey, Mexico, has been convicted of trying to smuggle methamphetamines into the country by concealing the drug in a candy box.
On Thursday, a jury convicted Nestor Alan Garcia, 35, a U.S. citizen residing in Mexico, of trying to smuggle nearly 5 pounds of cocaine and more than 13 pounds of meth through the Hidalgo port of entry in May.
It took just 45 minutes for the jury to return a verdict finding Garcia guilty on six counts, including attempt/conspiracy to import/export a controlled substance, importing a controlled substance, conspiracy to distribute, and distributing a controlled substance.
“According to the testimony, Garcia attempted to enter the Hidalgo Port of Entry in a taxi on May 13,” a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
“He claimed he was going to a party in McAllen and had a box of ‘pulparindo’ candy, puppies and various meat products,” the release further stated.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents became suspicious of Garcia after he displayed too much friendliness and chattiness, according to court documents.
Garcia told the agents he was on his way to a “sweet 15” party in McAllen with meat, drink mixers and puppies. But his unusual affability led agents to send Garcia and his taxi on to secondary inspection.
It was then that agents discovered a box of candy that contained “two brick shaped items and six bundles,” according to the criminal complaint.
Agents opened the packages and discovered substances that later tested positive for cocaine and methamphetamines.
Once the drugs had been discovered, Garcia gave agents conflicting stories about how they had gotten there.
He first claimed he had no idea about them. Alternately, he claimed he had been on a circuitous journey with unknown individuals inside a white passenger van as it traveled from Monterrey to Reynosa.
In one version of his story, Garcia claimed he was helping an unknown man to drop off the meat, puppies and candy to a McAllen Walmart.
In another version, it was two men and two women in the passenger van that he was helping as they were traveling to drop off the items in Dallas.
In yet another version of events, Garcia told investigators that his unknown traveling companions would be dropping him off at a Reynosa hospital where he was then scheduled to hop a taxi to the U.S. that had been ordered by his mother.
All the while, as investigators questioned Garcia, his cellphone had been ringing repeatedly, the criminal complaint said. He received 13 phone calls from a single number.
In reality, officials said, Garcia knew about the drugs because he had planned the smuggling attempt with his mother.
“He coordinated the smuggling of the narcotics with his mother for days ahead of the smuggling event at the Hidalgo Port of Entry,” the news release said.
“The defense attempted to convince the jury Garcia had no knowledge of the drugs and was simply doing a favor for his mother. The jury did not believe those claims and found him guilty as charged,” it further stated.
Garcia is slated to be sentenced Dec. 8. He faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison, as well as a possible fine of up to $10 million.
