A 28-year-old man has pleaded guilty to importing cocaine, as announced by U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
On July 18, Victor Torres approached the Hidalgo port of entry checkpoint and initially denied having any contraband. Law enforcement officers, however, referred him to secondary inspection when a K-9 alerted to the battery area of his vehicle.
Upon further investigation, law enforcement conducted an X-ray examination of the vehicle, which led to the discovery of several anomalies. These anomalies, in turn, revealed the presence of four bricks of cocaine.
The confiscated drugs weighed approximately four kilograms, with an estimated street value of around $40,000.
During his guilty plea, Torres admitted to being aware that he was transporting drugs into the United States and revealed that he had been recruited by individuals in Mexico for this illegal activity.
U.S. District Judge Ricardo Hinojosa is set to impose sentencing on January 25, 2024. Torres could face up to 40 years in federal prison and a potential maximum fine of $5 million at that time. Torres will remain in custody pending his sentencing hearing.
The investigation was conducted by Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore Parran III prosecuting the case.
