BROWNSVILLE — A 19-year-old woman remains jailed on federal charges that she tried to smuggle 1.19 pounds of black tar heroin via the Gateway International Bridge in Brownsville .
Authorities said Karla Garcia, a U.S. citizen living in Matamoros , attempted to cross the drugs by hiding the packet between her legs.
Garcia appeared Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ignacio Torteya III for her initial appearance. She has been ordered held without bond pending her detention hearing scheduled for Friday.
According to federal court documents, Garcia, with her young son in tow, tried to cross the bridge Monday through the pedestrian lane at the bridge.
The woman stated she was going shopping, the documents state. A check on Garcia’s name indicated she has a “TECS record hit” and she was referred to secondary inspection.
The documents state that while Garcia underwent a “pat down” at the secondary inspection, CBP officers found “anomalies on her.” A package of what is believed to be black tar heroin was removed from between Garcia’s legs, authorities report.
Garcia is charged with one count of knowingly and intentionally possessing with intent to distribute approximately 0.54 kilograms of black tar heroin.
