SAN ANTONIO, TX - Two San Antonio men have been arrested on federal drug charges after investigators uncovered more than 500 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed inside shipments of fresh produce, federal prosecutors announced Tuesday.

U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons said Gerardo Pineda-Gallegos and Jose Lopez-Ruiz are charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.

According to court documents, the two men were identified as methamphetamine distributors involved in the transportation, packaging, and distribution of narcotics. A criminal complaint alleges that on Dec. 15, 2025, Pineda-Gallegos and Lopez-Ruiz were present at a wholesale produce distribution warehouse, where they received large quantities of methamphetamine hidden inside shipments of fresh produce.

Investigators allege the men were observed entering and exiting the warehouse multiple times before driving a cargo van to an office space, where the methamphetamine concealed in the produce was stored and later prepared for distribution.

On Feb. 3, federal agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, along with officers from the San Antonio Police Department High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas unit, executed a court-authorized search warrant at the office space.

During the search, agents found approximately 100 boxes containing fresh heads of lettuce. According to the complaint, a search of the produce revealed 998 ball-shaped packages of methamphetamine weighing a combined total of about 555 kilograms.

Pineda-Gallegos and Lopez-Ruiz were arrested and charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. If convicted, they face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and up to life imprisonment, along with a possible fine of up to $10 million. Sentencing will be determined by a federal judge following consideration of U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The investigation is being conducted by the DEA and FBI as part of the Homeland Security Task Force, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service and the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Nowinski is prosecuting the case.