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Cuban Men Arrested For Roles in Nationwide Multimillion-Dollar Auto Theft Ring

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Cuban Men Arrested For Roles in Nationwide Multimillion-Dollar Auto Theft Ring
Two Cuban nationals have been taken into custody on charges related to the exportation of stolen motor vehicles. Image for illustration purposes
Two Cuban nationals have been taken into custody on charges related to the exportation of stolen motor vehicles. Image for illustration purposes

Texas Border Business

U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Texas

McALLEN, Texas – Two Cuban nationals have been taken into custody on charges related to the exportation of stolen motor vehicles. 

Sadiel Noa-Aguila, 42, and Miguel Baez-Echevarria, 36, resided in Pharr and Las Vegas, Nevada, respectively. 

Noa-Aguila is set to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Scott Hacker in McAllen at 9 a.m., while Baez is expected to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brenda Wexler in Las Vegas.  

According to the criminal complaint unsealed upon their arrests, authorities launched an investigation in 2024 that uncovered a large ring linked to numerous vehicle thefts nationwide. The charges allege the vehicles were primarily stolen from major metropolitan airports and surrounding areas, including Las Vegas; Phoenix, Arizona; Salt Lake City, Utah; Denver, Colorado; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; and Texas cities including Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston.

As part of the scheme, co-conspirators allegedly used electronic devices to steal the vehicles and reprogram key fobs. They then equipped the vehicles with fraudulent license plates or altered vehicle identification numbers before reselling them, according to the charges. Several vehicles were also allegedly exported to Mexico through ports of entry in Hidalgo County and El Paso. 

Noa-Aguila allegedly attempted to export one of the vehicles, a 2022 GMC Sierra AT4 through a port of entry in Hidalgo County Oct. 1, 2024. It had been reported stolen in Denver the previous month, according to the allegations.

The charges allege Baez is linked to the theft of at least 15 additional vehicles and estimates the organization stole vehicles worth millions of dollars in total.

Both are charged with aiding and abetting the exportation of stolen motor vehicles which carries a maximum 10-year-prison term, upon conviction. Baez also faces charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering for which he could receive up to 20 years in federal prison.  

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) – Homeland Security Investigations and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are conducting the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, Customs and Border Protection, ICE – Enforcement and Removal Operations, Texas Department of Public Safety, Dallas Fort Worth Airport Department of Public Safety, Tarrant County District Attorneys’ Office and Tarrant County Regional Auto Crimes Task Force as well as sheriff’s offices in El Paso and Hidalgo Counties; Otero County, New Mexico; Broward County, Florida; and police departments in El Paso, Houston and Pharr; Las Vegas; Phoenix; Salt Lake City; and Denver.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Roberto Lopez Jr. is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s OCDETF and Project Safe Neighborhood.

A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law. 

Updated June 26, 2025

Illegal Alien Sentenced to 60 Months for Illegally Reentering The United States

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Illegal Alien Sentenced to 60 Months for Illegally Reentering The United States
A 33-year-old Honduran national who resided in Houston has been sentenced for illegally entering the United States. Image for illustration purposes
A 33-year-old Honduran national who resided in Houston has been sentenced for illegally entering the United States. Image for illustration purposes

Texas Border Business

U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Texas

HOUSTON – A 33-year-old Honduran national who resided in Houston has been sentenced for illegally entering the United States.

Denis Hernandez-Cruz pleaded guilty April 11.

U.S. District Judge Charles R. Eskridge has now ordered Hernandez-Cruz to serve 60 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that Hernandez-Cruz needed a substantial sentence to deter him from illegally reentering again.

Hernandez-Cruz has felony convictions for illegal reentry as well as two convictions for burglary of a habitation. He has three prior removals from the United States, most recently in April 2020.

He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Immigrations and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Franklyn prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.

Updated June 26, 2025

Less Than a Month Left to Apply for FEMA Assistance for South Texas Severe Storms and Flooding

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Less Than a Month Left to Apply for FEMA Assistance for South Texas Severe Storms and Flooding
Homeowners and renters in Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr and Willacy counties who were displaced or have property damage from the March 26-28 storms have until Tuesday, July 22, 2025, to submit an application for FEMA assistance. After the deadline, survivors can still upload information and submit paperwork to their FEMA account. Image for illustration purposes
Homeowners and renters in Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr and Willacy counties who were displaced or have property damage from the March 26-28 storms have until Tuesday, July 22, 2025, to submit an application for FEMA assistance. After the deadline, survivors can still upload information and submit paperwork to their FEMA account. Image for illustration purposes

Texas Border Business

AUSTIN, Texas – Texas residents who have been affected by the March severe storms and flooding have less than a month left to apply for FEMA assistance.

Homeowners and renters in Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr and Willacy counties who were displaced or have property damage from the March 26-28 storms have until Tuesday, July 22, 2025, to submit an application for FEMA assistance. After the deadline, survivors can still upload information and submit paperwork to their FEMA account. 

To date, FEMA has approved more than $59.2 million in federal and state assistance for Texas survivors.

There are many types of assistance available for survivors who need help covering costs for things like rental expenses, home repairs, vehicle damage, medical expenses, moving and storage, and reimbursement for temporary housing.

There are three ways to apply:
Visit a Disaster Recovery Center. To find a center close to you, go online to: DRC Locator, or text DRC along with your Zip Code to 43362 (Ex: DRC 78552). 
Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov
Download the FEMA App for mobile devices 
Call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. CT. Help is available in most languages. 

To view an accessible video about how to apply visit: Three Ways to Register for FEMA Disaster Assistance – YouTube

Residents and businesses in the four eligible counties can also apply for a low-interest disaster loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to help recover. Texas residents can apply for a disaster loan online at SBA.gov/disaster or by calling 800-659-2955. To find a Texas location for in-person assistance, visit appointment.sba.gov/schedule/. No appointment is necessary.

For more information about the loans available and how to apply, visit: SBA Loans Are a Meaningful Option for Texas Storm Survivors.

For the latest information about Texas’ recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4871. Follow FEMA Region 6 on social media at x.com/FEMARegion6 and at facebook.com/FEMARegion6/.

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FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters.

Information source: The City of McAllen

DHR Health Becomes RGV’s First and Only Comprehensive Multiple Sclerosis Center

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DHR Health Becomes RGV’s First and Only Comprehensive Multiple Sclerosis Center
NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED CARE: DHR Health’s Neuroscience Institute receives Comprehensive Multiple Sclerosis Center designation from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society—making it the only center in the Rio Grande Valley to receive this national designation.m Iage courtesy of DHR Health
NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED CARE: DHR Health’s Neuroscience Institute receives Comprehensive Multiple Sclerosis Center designation from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society—making it the only center in the Rio Grande Valley to receive this national designation.m Iage courtesy of DHR Health

Texas Border Business

EDINBURG, Texas – DHR Health is proud to announce that its Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Center has been officially designated as a Comprehensive MS Center by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, making it the first and only center in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) to receive this prestigious designation. Before this designation, the nearest Comprehensive MS Center was in San Antonio. This milestone represents a significant step forward in expanding access to expert neurological care in one of Texas’s most medically underserved regions.

“The Rio Grande Valley has long lacked access to subspecialty care like neurology, especially for complex, chronic conditions such as MS,” said Marissa Castañeda, senior executive vice president at DHR Health. “With this designation, patients here can now receive nationally recognized MS care close to home, without having to travel long distances.”

Read the full story at:

DHR Health Becomes RGV’s First and Only Comprehensive Multiple Sclerosis Center

Census Bureau Reports Shipment of U.S. Goods Reached 12.2 Billion Tons and $18.0 Trillion

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Census Bureau Reports Shipment of U.S. Goods Reached 12.2 Billion Tons and $18.0 Trillion
The total value of shipments nationwide over the five-year span increased $3.5 trillion (24.0%) to $18.0 trillion (not adjusted for inflation or seasonality. Image for illustration purposes
The total value of shipments nationwide over the five-year span increased $3.5 trillion (24.0%) to $18.0 trillion (not adjusted for inflation or seasonality. Image for illustration purposes

Texas Border Business

U.S. Census Bureau

Shipments of goods in the United States reached 12.2 billion tons in 2022, virtually unchanged from 2017, according to the latest Commodity Flow Survey estimates released today by the U.S. Census Bureau. The total value of shipments nationwide over the five-year span increased $3.5 trillion (24.0%) to $18.0 trillion (not adjusted for inflation or seasonality.

US Census Bureau Graphic

Customer Pickup – a newly tabulated mode estimate in 2022 – accounted for 1.4 billion tons of U.S. goods shipped (about 11.4% of the total tonnage) in 2022, valued at $1.0 trillion. 

Additional highlights:
The South region shipped 1.9 billion tons (40.4%) of U.S. goods in 2022, valued at $6.7 trillion. The Midwest followed with 3.4 billion tons (28.1%) of goods shipped, valued at $4.8 trillion.
Manufacturing establishments shipped 4.9 billion tons of commodities worth $7.1 trillion in 2022. Wholesale establishments shipped 4.1 billion tons of commodities worth $8.1 trillion.
Trucks as a single domestic mode of transportation hauled approximately 8.3 billion tons (68.1%) of the total tonnage. These shipments accounted for $13.2 trillion (73.5%) of the total value of commodities shipped in 2022.
An estimated 56.4% of all tonnage traveled less than 50 miles in 2022.
Trucks carried the largest share (49.6%) of tonnage traveling to Canada.
Hazardous material shipments weighed 2.6 billion tons and accounted for $2.1 trillion in 2022.

About the Commodity Flow Survey

The Commodity Flow Survey was initiated in 1993 and has been conducted every five years since 1997 as part of the Census Bureau’s economic census. The survey, a partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics, is the primary source of national, state and selected metropolitan area statistics on domestic freight shipments. It provides information on the origin and destination, value, weight, mode of transportation and distance of commodities shipped.

The CFS provides estimates for the nation, the 50 states and the District of Columbia and selected metropolitan areas.

Policymakers and transportation planners in various federal, state and local agencies use CFS statistics to assess the demand for transportation facilities and services, energy use and safety risk and environmental concerns. A sample of approximately 165,000 establishments are selected based on geographic location and industry.

The Commodity Flow Survey does not include establishments classified in forestry, fishing, utilities, construction, transportation and most retail and services industries. Farms and government-owned entities (except government-owned liquor wholesalers) are also excluded. The survey does not capture information on imports to the United States; however, domestic portions of imported shipments can be included if they pass through a sampled establishment.

Statistics are based on data from the 2022 and 2017 Commodity Flow Surveys and include data only for businesses with paid employees. All dollar values are expressed in current dollars for the period shown, i.e., they are not adjusted for inflation and do not reflect changes in prices. For more information (including definitions and information on comparability, confidentiality protection and sampling and nonsampling error), refer to the Commodity Flow Survey methodology.

All comparisons made in this release have been tested and found to be statistically significant at the 90% confidence level, unless otherwise noted. All estimates include measures of sampling variability.

For more information, visit the Commodity Flow Survey website.

Information source: US Census Bureau

Abbott Announces First Texas Energy Fund Loan To 122 MW Natural Gas Facility

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Abbott Announces First Texas Energy Fund Loan To 122 MW Natural Gas Facility
"As Texas continues to rapidly grow, we must further fortify the state power grid," said Governor Abbott. Image for illustration purposes
“As Texas continues to rapidly grow, we must further fortify the state power grid,” said Governor Abbott. Image for illustration purposes

Texas Border Business

AUSTIN — Governor Greg Abbott has announced that the first Texas Energy Fund (TEF) loan agreement will fund a 122 megawatt (MW) natural gas power plant in Texas. With the TEF executed by the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC), the Rock Island Generation Project will provide new reliable, dispatchable power generation near one of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) region’s largest electricity demand centers. 

“As Texas continues to rapidly grow, we must further fortify the state power grid,” said Governor Abbott. “Today, Texas made a 122 megawatt investment in power capabilities of the grid to ensure that Texans have access to affordable and reliable power. This natural gas power plant will help bear the load of the largest electricity demand area in the state as we continue our mission to add more power to the grid and power more homes.” 

“The goal of the Texas Energy Fund has always been clear: secure reliable, affordable power that will serve the state for decades to come,” said PUC Chairman Thomas Gleeson. “Today, we achieved a major milestone in that effort and are one step closer to bringing new power online. This new facility will benefit every Texan by helping us ensure continued electric reliability and support Texas’ incredible economic growth.”

“This marks a historic milestone for our utility and is the result of the dedication, vision, and countless hours of hard work from our board, staff, and partners,” said Mike Wittler, KPUB General Manager & CEO. “With this funding secured—and thanks to the rigorous due diligence of the TEF team —we’re proudly powering forward with a long-term strategic initiative that will not only help shield our ratepayers from future market volatility but enhance grid reliability for all Texans.” 

The Kerrville Public Utility Board (KPUB) is the sponsor of the project and will develop the facility, which is projected to begin operations by June 1, 2027. The loan agreement between the PUC and KPUB is the first finalized under the TEF’s In-ERCOT Generation Loan Program, which provides low-interest loans for projects that add new, dispatchable power to the ERCOT region.

Under the loan agreement, which is subject to customary financial closing procedures, total project costs are not to exceed $175 million, with the PUC providing a 20-year TEF loan of up to $105 million at a 3% interest rate. The facility, which will be located in Colorado County, approximately 10 miles south of Columbus, will interconnect to the South Texas Electric Cooperative Rock Island substation in the ERCOT South Load Zone. This area sits adjacent to ERCOT’s Houston Load Zone, which is one of the largest electricity demand centers in Texas, encompassing Houston, Pasadena, and the Woodlands, which make up the fifth largest metropolitan area in the United States.

As part of the loan agreement, the facility must meet minimum performance standards, as outlined in program rules.

In addition to the loan agreement signed this week, there are currently 18 applications to the TEF In-ERCOT Generation Loan Program that are active and moving through a due diligence review process. Together, they represent an additional 9,102 MW of proposed new dispatchable generation for the ERCOT grid.

Additional information about the TEF and the In-ERCOT Generation Loan Program is available on the PUC website.

Funeral and Military Honors for U.S. Navy Seaman Angelina Resendiz

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Funeral and Military Honors for U.S. Navy Seaman Angelina Resendiz
The family of U.S. Navy Seaman Angelina Resendiz has announced that funeral services honoring her life and military service will be held on Friday, June 27, 2025, at 5:30 PM at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, located at 114 E. Price Road, Brownsville, Texas. Photo courtesy of The Resendiz family via gofundme
The family of U.S. Navy Seaman Angelina Resendiz has announced that funeral services honoring her life and military service will be held on Friday, June 27, 2025, at 5:30 PM at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, located at 114 E. Price Road, Brownsville, Texas. Photo courtesy of The Resendiz family via gofundme

Texas Border Business

Texas Border Business

The family of U.S. Navy Seaman Angelina Resendiz has announced that funeral services honoring her life and military service will be held on Friday, June 27, 2025, at 5:30 PM at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, located at 114 E. Price Road, Brownsville, Texas.

Immediately following the service, full military honors will be rendered outside the church, including a 21-gun salute, the playing of “Taps,” ceremonial folding of the American flag, and the presence of dignitaries who will recognize Seaman Resendiz’s commitment and sacrifice.

A vigil will follow at the Brownsville Event Center. During this time, Seaman Resendiz’s mother, Esmeralda Castle, and church leaders will be available for media interviews. All interviews will be held outside under the direction of Jasmine Rico Joens,Communications Director, South Texas, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Photo courtesy of The Resendiz family via gofundme

Members of the press are invited to attend and respectfully participate in these services, as the Resendiz family seeks to honor Angelina’s memory and ensure her story is fully told.

The community continues to mourn the tragic loss of Seaman Resendiz and has expressed a strong desire for transparency and justice as the investigation into her death unfolds.

Official Navy Statement

According to an official press release from Naval Surface Force Atlantic, Culinary Specialist Seaman Angelina Resendiz, assigned to the USS James E. Williams (DDG 95), was confirmed deceased on June 10, 2025. The Navy extended its condolences to her family, friends, and shipmates, and confirmed that grief counseling and support services had been made available to her command.

The U.S. Navy emphasized that the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) is actively leading the investigation into the circumstances surrounding Seaman Resendiz’s death.

Ongoing Investigation and Community Response

Seaman Resendiz was last seen on May 29, 2025, at Naval Station Norfolk. She was officially reported missing on June 3, when Virginia State Police issued a critical missing adult alert. Her remains were found on June 9 in a wooded area near the base. The Norfolk Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed her identity the following day.

A fellow sailor, Jeremiah Copeland, also stationed aboard the USS James E. Williams, is currently being held in pretrial confinement pending further legal proceedings. He was detained following an Initial Review Officer (IRO) hearing on June 16, which concluded that Copeland should not be released before trial. The case may proceed to a general court-martial following an Article 32 hearing, expected to take place within 120 days of the IRO hearing. No formal charges have been filed yet.

The Navy has not publicly classified the death as a homicide, and NCIS has not confirmed a cause of death as of this writing.

Seaman Resendiz’s family has raised serious concerns regarding the Navy’s handling of her disappearance. Ms. Castle has stated that her daughter was incorrectly marked as AWOL and that she learned of her daughter’s death through the media rather than military channels. The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) has called for a full and transparent investigation, comparing the case to the 2020 death of Army Specialist Vanessa Guillén and urging reforms in how the military responds to missing service members.

As the facts continue to unfold, the Resendiz family and the South Texas community are calling for clarity, accountability, and lasting changes to prevent similar tragedies in the future. In honoring Seaman Resendiz’s service, they also seek to ensure her story leads to greater protection and justice for all who serve.

Texas New World Screwworm Response Team Formed to Amplify Preparedness

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Texas New World Screwworm Response Team Formed to Amplify Preparedness
The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) are forming a joint response team to coordinate efforts in combating New World screwworm (NWS) prior to its arrival in Texas, following a directive from Governor Greg Abbott. Image for illustration purposes
The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) are forming a joint response team to coordinate efforts in combating New World screwworm (NWS) prior to its arrival in Texas, following a directive from Governor Greg Abbott. Image for illustration purposes

Texas Border Business

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

AUSTIN – The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) are forming a joint response team to coordinate efforts in combating New World screwworm (NWS) prior to its arrival in Texas, following a directive from Governor Greg Abbott.

“Texas played a critical role in eradicating this pest from the United States in the 1960s and will do so again if the need arises,” Abbott said in his directive. “We stand ready to protect our land, livestock and wildlife.”

The Texas New World Screwworm Response Team will share essential information with stakeholders and the public, coordinate the state’s preparedness and response efforts, and promote effective stakeholder engagement.

“Texans can be assured that staff have been actively preparing and training for a possible New World screwworm response for over a year,” said Dr. Lewis R. “Bud” Dinges, TAHC executive director and state veterinarian. “While we hope we don’t have to deal with the pest on our soil, joint efforts to mitigate damage and protect all commodities from NWS are ongoing and will be bolstered by this well-rounded team.”

TAHC and TPWD have worked jointly for decades on disease management efforts to ensure the health and safety of livestock and wildlife in Texas.

“Excellent work has already been done by stakeholders, and state and federal agencies,” said Dr. David Yoskowitz, TPWD executive director. “The charge of the response team is to work directly with landowners, livestock producers and the public. Both the Texas Animal Health Commission and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will bring forward all the resources and expertise at our disposal to ensure that we are prepared and can respond quickly and effectively.”

In 2022, NWS broke through an established eradication border in Panama and began spreading north through Central America. NWS reached the southern states of Mexico in November 2024 and has continued to spread in multiple Mexican states as far north as Oaxaca. Due to Texas’ vast border with Mexico, extensive animal agriculture industry and abundant wildlife, the risk of NWS reemergence in Texas is still of strong concern. 

Understanding the heightened risk of NWS infestation Texas faces, TAHC has actively monitored the NWS spread in Central America. In March 2024, TAHC began developing plans, coordinating response, and training staff to respond to this threat. When NWS reached Mexico in November, the TAHC and TPWD began educating the public on this growing threat. TAHC and TPWD have continued to provide training and education for agency personnel, members of the public, veterinarians and stakeholders. While all these efforts have kept Texas ahead of the response curve, a formalized joint effort will help ensure preparedness and coordination between key partners during this critical time.

Read the Office of the Governor’s press release here. Learn more about NWS here.

Information source: Texas Paks and Wildlife Department

Progreso CBP Officers Apprehend Fugitive Wanted in New Mexico For Rape of a Child

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Progreso CBP Officers Apprehend Fugitive Wanted in New Mexico For Rape of a Child
CBP officers escort a wanted person at a U.S. port of entry. USCBP image
CBP officers escort a wanted person at a U.S. port of entry. USCBP image

Texas Border Business

PROGRESO, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, Progreso Port of Entry officers detained a man wanted in New Mexico for an alleged sexual crime against a child.

“Our frontline CBP officers continue to maintain resolute vigilance in screening arriving travelers and that mission dedication yielded the apprehension of a man wanted in connection with a sex crime involving a child,” said Port Director Michael Martinez, Progreso/Donna Port of Entry. “These types of apprehensions perfectly illustrate the law enforcement work undertaken by our officers in securing our borders and keeping our communities safe.”

The fugitive apprehension occurred on Tuesday, June 24 when CBP officers at the Donna International Bridge referred Arnoldo Jaramillo, a 22-year-old U.S. citizen for secondary inspection. After escorting the passenger to secondary, subsequent biometric verification through law enforcement databases confirmed that the subject had an outstanding felony warrant for rape of a child, issued by the Carlsbad Police Department in Carlsbad, New Mexico. Jaramillo was turned over to Donna Police Department officers for transport to jail and adjudication of the warrant. 

The National Crime Information Center is a centralized automated database designed to share information among law enforcement agencies including outstanding warrants for a wide range of offenses. Based on information from NCIC, CBP officers have made previous arrests of individuals wanted for homicide, escape, money laundering, robbery, narcotics distribution, sexual child abuse, fraud, larceny, and military desertion. Criminal charges are merely allegations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

CBP Officers Seize Over $639K in Narcotics at Hidalgo Port of Entry

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CBP Officers Seize Over $639K in Narcotics at Hidalgo Port of Entry
Packages containing nearly 48 pounds of cocaine seized by CBP officers at Hidalgo Port of Entry. USCBP image
Packages containing nearly 48 pounds of cocaine seized by CBP officers at Hidalgo Port of Entry. USCBP image

Texas Border Business

HIDALGO, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations officers at Hidalgo International Bridge intercepted more than $639,000 in alleged cocaine concealed within a vehicle.

“This drug seizure is a direct result of our officers’ vigilance and unwavering commitment to protecting our communities,” said Port Director Carlos Rodriguez, Hidalgo Port of Entry. “Their dedication plays a vital role in keeping dangerous substances off our streets and ensuring public safety.”

On June 24, CBP officers at the Hidalgo International Bridge encountered a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu making entry to the U.S. from Mexico. A CBP officer selected the vehicle for inspection, which included utilizing nonintrusive inspection equipment and a canine. A physical inspection led to the discovery of 20 packages of alleged cocaine with a combined weight of 47.93 pounds (21.74 kg) concealed within the vehicle. The narcotics have an estimated street value of $639,938.

CBP OFO seized the narcotics and vehicle. Texas Department of Public Safety officers arrested the driver and initiated a criminal investigation.

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