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A man from the United States was arrested on Wednesday after U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Hidalgo International Bridge discovered over 100 pounds of methamphetamine inside his vehicle as he attempted to enter the country.
Francisco Rodriguez, who was born in 2003, was charged with importing methamphetamine after a K-9 unit alerted to the vehicle he was driving and found 45 packages containing the meth, according to a criminal complaint.
On Wednesday, Rodriguez was making entry from Mexico into the U.S. in a maroon Chevrolet Cruze and was referred for further inspection.
It was there that an open-air sniff of the vehicle resulted in a positive alert for the odor of narcotics in the rear bumper area.
Following a thorough inspection of the Cruze, authorities discovered 45 cellophane-wrapped bundles containing a crystal-like substance that tested positive for the properties of methamphetamine.
The packages weighed a total of nearly 101 pounds which has a street value of $1.4 million, according to CBP.
During an interview with special agents from Homeland Security Investigations, Rodriguez admitted to knowing the vehicle was loaded with narcotics and stated he was going to be paid $1,500 for transporting the drugs to an unknown hotel in McAllen.
“Our CBP officers remain vigilant and used all of our available tools and resources to thwart this smuggling attempt,” Port Director Carlos Rodriguez said in a press release. “Our ability to filter out smugglers from legitimate travelers is paramount in securing our border.”
Rodriguez is scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Scott Hacker for a preliminary and detention hearings set for Monday.
