LOS ANGELES: Two men are now in custody in the United States customs and border protection officers after their connections in the smuggling of 100 gallons of liquid methamphetamine in a fuel tank of a tractor.
It happened Friday at the Los Indios International Bridge Port of Entry.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers told Action 4 that 51-year-old Juan Buentello-Garcia was driving the 1998 Freightliner with Guatemalan plates.
A K-9 alerted CBP officers of possible drugs in the diesel tank of the tractor.
Documents stated that a wooden dowel was used to take out the $27,266,000 worth of meth.
CBP officers took the Mexican national into custody.
Investigators found the owner of the tractor Hector Lopez-Monzon the next day at the Los Indios Port of Entry.Documents states Lopez-Monzon asked CBP officers where his tractor was.
The Homeland of Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agents interviewed him about the 100 gallons of meth.
Lopez-Monzon allegedly admitted he had promised to pay Buentello-Garcia $100 to drive the tractor full of meth into the United States.
Both men stood before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ignacio Torteya.Magistrate Judge Torteya set the men’s bonds at $5,000.They were then taken into the custody of the U.S. Marshals.
Port Director Petra Horne, Brownsville port of Entry released this statement:
“Vigilance on primary by our CBP officers has resulted in the discovery of these dangerous narcotics in liquid form from being smuggled into the country and the arrests of these alleged smugglers. I thank our CBP officers for their dedication, vigilance and for their hard work every day.”
