EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – A federal grand jury has returned a multi-count indictment against a man who allegedly tried to bring 105 pounds of methamphetamines across Gateway International Bridge in Brownsville.
Tuesday’s indictment accuses Luis Galindo Jr. of the illegal importation of a controlled substance and conspiring to possess and distribute a controlled substance in connection with an Oct. 14 event at the South Texas port of entry.
Galindo, who according to court documents previously engaged in the transportation of unauthorized migrants in the United States and illegal vehicle exports to Mexico, was sent to a secondary inspection area when he attempted to return to the U.S. from the Mexican border city of Matamoros in a 2019 Dodge Charger with Texas license plates.
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer inspected the vehicle and found anomalies between a door and a window. A more comprehensive inspection by CBP officers resulted in the seizure of 97 bundles of a crystal-like substance in the door panels, dashboard, rear shelf and quarter panels of the Dodge, court records show. The substance tested positive for crystal meth.
Homeland Security Investigations special agents interviewed Galindo, who allegedly told them he picked up the vehicle from a body shop across the border on behalf of his cousin and knew nothing about the drugs. Later, he allegedly said he knew his cousin was involved with illegal narcotics; a search of his cellphone revealed an electronic chat with the cousin, including a text telling him he was in line to cross the bridge, court records show.
Galindo also allegedly admitted during the course of the interview to having previously transported undocumented migrants in the United States and taking vehicles to Mexico without export permits in the U.S. or import permits in Mexico.
The cousin has not been charged.
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