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A Mexican national pleaded guilty to possessing a little over 195 pounds concealed inside a tractor-trailer he was driving at the Falfurrias checkpoint on Nov. 13, according to a news release from the United States Attorney’s Office Southern District of Texas.
Faustino Perez Luna, 50, pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute on Tuesday.
At about 6:40 p.m., on Nov. 13, Border Patrol agents encountered a white and gray tractor-trailer approaching the primary lane at the Falfurrias checkpoint for an immigration inspection.
According to a criminal complaint, the agent questioning Perez observed him to “have a shaky hand” and “breathing heavily” when he displayed his border crossing card.
“During the brief encounter, a Border Patrol K-9 conducted a non-intrusive free air sniff of the tractor and trailer and alerted to the trailer,” the complaint said.
Upon further inspection, agents found about 40 bundles wrapped in cellophane, black tape and coated in motor oil.
A field test conducted on the bundles resulted in a presumptive positive for cocaine.
According to the release, the drugs weighed approximately 195 pounds with an estimated street value of $1.5 million.
“The drugs were the priority load of a known drug trafficking organization,” the release said.
During an interview with agents, Perez said he was going to be paid about $2,000 for the delivery to Atlanta.
Perez’s sentencing is scheduled in early August before U.S. District Judge Randy Crane.
