A U.S. citizen traveling from Mexico destined for New York was arrested last month and faces drug smuggling charges after authorities found methamphetamine inside his vehicle, records show.
Alexander Milian is expected back before a U.S. District Judge for a detention hearing related to his drug smuggling charges, the criminal complaint against him states.
Milian was arrested in early October attempting to enter the United States from Mexico after a secondary inspection revealed the man was in possession of several bundles hidden within his vehicle.
During his stop at the border, Milian told U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents that he was traveling from Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico, back to his hotel in McAllen, Texas.
“During the secondary inspection, a CBP narcotics detection dog alerted to the presence of narcotics in the front of the vehicle,” the complaint states.
CBP officers subsequently conducted a search of the vehicle and discovered nine packages hidden within a cavity inside the vehicle’s battery.
The packages were tested and revealed to be a little more than two kilograms of methamphetamine, the document states.
During a post-Miranda interview, Milian admitted to agents he was aware he was transporting illegal narcotics but did not know specifically which one or how much of it he was transporting.
Milian told agents he was awaiting a phone call for further instructions, but believed he was headed to New York.
The 26-year-old man said he is generally paid between $5,000 and $15,000 for each trip completed.
Milian, who has been in custody since Oct. 14, will remain in custody pending a detention hearing.
If he is convicted, Milian could receive up to 10 years in prison.
