A 36-year-old man from Guadalupe, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, has been indicted for trafficking over 12 kilograms of cocaine and nearly five kilograms of heroin into the United States. This development was confirmed by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei in Laredo, Texas.
The federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment against Albing Pablo Rivera-Leal. Since his arrest based on a criminal complaint, Rivera-Leal remains in custody and is expected to appear for arraignment before a U.S. magistrate judge soon.
According to the criminal complaint, authorities stopped Rivera-Leal on April 5 in Laredo for a traffic violation on I-35 north. During the vehicle search, tampering signs were allegedly found under the rear seats. Furthermore, a K-9 unit reportedly detected controlled substances in the car.
Law enforcement, upon further inspection, allegedly discovered several concealed packages containing cocaine and heroin inside a hidden compartment within the vehicle's cabin. The complaint states the packages held approximately 12 kilograms of cocaine and 4.5 kilograms of heroin.
Conviction could result in Rivera-Leal facing life imprisonment and a $5 million fine.
The investigation was conducted by the Texas Department of Public Safety, with the Drug Enforcement Administration's assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan L. Oliver is handling the prosecution.
It is emphasized that an indictment is merely a formal accusation and not evidence of guilt. Rivera-Leal is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.