A Mexican national has been indicted on charges of conspiracy and importation of controlled substances, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. The individual, Mauricio Sebastian Valdez Rivas, 67, is currently in custody and is expected to appear before a U.S. magistrate judge in Laredo soon.
The indictment follows an alleged unsuccessful attempt to smuggle 16.95 kilograms of cocaine from Mexico into the United States. On February 7th, Rivas reportedly drove into the port of entry at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge seeking entry into the United States. During this process, authorities conducted an x-ray scan of his vehicle and detected an anomaly near its front.
Upon further inspection, law enforcement officers allegedly discovered a trap door behind the front license plate containing a hidden compartment with 15 bundles of cocaine inside. The drugs have been valued at approximately $10,000 on the street.
If found guilty, Rivas could face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years up to life imprisonment in federal prison and fines reaching up to $10 million.
The investigation was carried out by Homeland Security Investigations with support from Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew P. Hakala-Finch is prosecuting the case.
It is important to note that an indictment serves as a formal accusation rather than evidence; therefore, a defendant remains presumed innocent until proven guilty through due legal process.