McALLEN — A woman who said she was running an errand for a friend in Mexico was found with more than 10 marijuana bundles in her car.
U.S. Border Patrol agents said multiple unidentified men emerged from a manhole at a truck stop in Progreso and stuffed 13 packages of marijuana into a vehicle belonging to an Elsa woman, according to a criminal complaint filed last week.
Yolanda Reyes Reyna was arrested last Tuesday after agents found her in possession of 13 bundles of marijuana weighing nearly 300 pounds as she was leaving an area near the Progreso-Nuevo Progreso International Bridge, the criminal complaint states.
Reyes, who was arrested March 6 in Progreso and stood before a U.S. magistrate judge Friday, is currently being held in federal custody without bond, court records show.
The 28-year-old woman was charged with two federal drug charges, possession and conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, after she was stopped by an agent near an area “notorious for undocumented aliens and narcotic smuggling,” the complaint states.
The woman’s arrest took place just before noon south of Progreso after a border patrol agent noticed her driving her vehicle in a parking lot typically utilized by tractor trailers.
An agent watching from afar witnessed as Reyes drove her blue Chevrolet Malibu into the lot and began driving.
“One subject ran toward the Malibu and signaled for it to park close to a manhole,” the complaint states.
Moments later, multiple people came out of the same manhole and loaded the vehicle’s backseat and trunk with several packaged bundles.
Reyes began driving away from the parking lot but was cut off by multiple Border Patrol agents and detained.
“(The border patrol agent) could see the bundles of suspected narcotics through the windshield upon approaching the vehicle,” the complaint states.
In total agents seized 291 pounds of marijuana, the complaint states.
During her interview with federal officers, Reyes said that earlier that day she was visiting her mother in Edinburg when she received a call from a man who asked her to go to Mexico to pick up medication, the court record states.
“She received a call from Jesus Reyna who asked her if she would go to Mexico (Progreso) and pick up some medication for his father who is a diabetic, Reyes agreed,” the complaint reads.
She told agents that upon approaching the Progreso-Nuevo Progreso International Bridge the man called her again and told her to stop by the tractor trailers.
“Reyes stated she observed a brown pickup (truck) following her. Jesus Reyna told her to stop and she then observed several male subjects emerge from a manhole and began loading narcotics into her vehicle,” the complaint states. “Reyes stated she then drove away and then shortly thereafter was stopped by Border Patrol Agents and arrested.”
Reyes will remain in custody pending a trial date.
