A 24-year-old man from Stafford, Texas, has been indicted on multiple drug trafficking charges following an alleged attempt to smuggle nearly 300 pounds of methamphetamine through the Eagle Pass border.
The indictment accuses Yobany Vega of attempting to import the drugs through the Camino Real Bridge area on December 6.
As detailed in a press release published by The U.S. Attorney’s office earlier this week, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered a compartment hidden in Vega’s vehicle during an inspection. Inside the compartment, officers found 41 bundles of methamphetamine weighing a total of 294 pounds.
The meth was allegedly concealed in the vehicle as part of a coordinated smuggling operation, and Vega now faces multiple felony federal charges for his involvement. He is charged with conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute, conspiracy to import methamphetamine, and the importation of methamphetamine into the U.S.
If convicted on all counts, Vega could face a sentence ranging from 10 years to life in federal prison, along with a maximum fine of $10 million for each charge, per state laws.
In a separate recent bust earlier this week, U.S. customs agents in Laredo intercepted nearly 750 pounds of methamphetamine, also hidden inside a cargo truck attempting to cross into the United States, according to a report from Audacy.
The truck, initially flagged for a routine inspection, underwent a secondary check where drug dogs helped agents uncover the illegal shipment. Among boxes of water jugs, agents found a pallet containing 16 plastic containers filled with meth. The seized drugs are estimated to be worth nearly $7 million dollars on the street.
However, this was only the second significant methamphetamine interception in Laredo in recent weeks.
Last month, agents seized 423 pounds of the drug at the same port of entry. Homeland Security Investigations is now leading the effort to track down those responsible for the shipment.
It seems that these huge meth busts are not a rare occasion whatsoever, though. As in early August U.S. Customs officers at the Otay Mesa Commercial Facility intercepted a shipment of methamphetamine, totaling 629 pounds, concealed inside boxes of celery.