McALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A man pleaded guilty to importing cocaine inside his car battery, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced.
Victor Torres, 28, faces up to 40 years in federal prison and a possible $5 million maximum fine for admitting to knowingly transporting drugs into the United States.
On July 18, Torres approached the McAllen-Hidalgo International Bridge checkpoint and told law enforcement he did not have any contraband.
Authorities referred Torres’ vehicle to secondary inspection where a K-9 alerted to the battery area of the vehicle.
According to a release from U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani, law enforcement conducted an X-ray of the car which resulted in the discovery of four bricks of cocaine.
The drugs weighed approximately 9 pounds with an estimated street value of $40,000, the release stated.
During his plea, Torres admitted he knew he was transporting drugs into United States and that individuals in Mexico recruited him.
Torres will return to court for his sentencing on Jan. 25, 2024. He will remain in custody pending that hearing.
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