A United States woman was caught with over 100 pounds of meth while attempting to enter the U.S. from Mexico through the Hidalgo port of entry Monday afternoon.
Christina Debhani Vega was charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, namely methamphetamine, according to a criminal complaint.
According to the complaint, Vega was detained at 5:11 p.m. following a secondary inspection after she gave conflicting information about her trip to Mexico.
During the secondary inspection, CBP officers noticed what appeared to be plastic in one of the crevices in the rear portion of the vehicle which resulted in them sending the vehicle for an x-ray.
“During the inspection, the z-portal officer observed several anomalies in the rear passenger door, rear quarter panels, rear bumper and the center console,” the affidavit said.
The z-portal operator noticed the anomalies in the vehicle and requested the K-9 officer to deploy his K-9 around the vehicle, which resulted in an alert around the rear bumper of the vehicle.
“Fifty-five bundles wrapped in black plastic were retrieved from the areas of the vehicle where the anomalies were present,” the criminal complaint said. “A field test was conducted and resulted in a positive test for methamphetamine.”
The total weight of the packages retrieved weighed at 101 pounds.
During an interview with Homeland Security Investigations special agents, Vega admitted to transporting what she believed to be drugs for a person she met in Mexico.
“She admitted that she knew that the vehicle was loaded with drugs and agreed to drive the vehicle to a parking lot in the Pharr area where she would meet up with the same individual,” the complaint said.
Vega stated she agreed to cross the drugs into the U.S. for $1,000 as she was unemployed and could stand to make some money.
She added that she would get a ride back into Mexico once she dropped the car off at the lot.
Vega is set to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nadia S. Medrano for a preliminary examination and detention hearing Friday afternoon.
