BELOW SUPERNAV drop zone ⇩

Feds, Texas DPS stop truck hauling 700 pounds of concealed meth bundles

A Texas State Trooper is shown sitting in his vehicle right, April 6, 2008, in Eldorado, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

maylen

https://digital-stage.newsnationnow.com/

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241114185800

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241115200405

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241118165728

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241118184948

EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – A man who says he didn’t know the truck he drove carried nearly 700 pounds of methamphetamines with a street value of at least $2 million has a federal court date in El Paso this week.

Texas Department of Public Safety officers on June 30 stopped a white 2008 Kenworth utility trailer for an unsafe lane change and inoperable stop lights on the 6500 block of Trowbridge Drive. The driver identified as Eduardo Rubio became nervous when questioned by DPS officers, who requested the assistance of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection drug-sniffing dog, according to the arrest affidavit.

A CBP canine named Rocky inspected the tractor-trailer after Rubio consented to a search and alerted officers to anomalies on the roof of the vehicle. Homeland Security Investigations agents who had been watching the truck since Rubio picked it up at the 400 block of Lee Trevino asked him to follow them to the cargo lot of the Ysleta Port of Entry for an X-ray examination, and Rubio consented, court documents show.

A CBP inspection revealed foil-wrapped bundles within the trailer’s roof beams; the contents tested positive for methamphetamines with a total weight of 316.5 kilograms, or 698 pounds, the documents show.

HSI agents read Rubio his Miranda rights in Spanish, and he agreed to provide a statement without an attorney present, according to the arrest affidavit.

Rubio claimed the trailer belonged to a man named Jose and that he didn’t know the trailer had drugs. The driver told investigators Jose instructed him to drive the truck to Rincon, New Mexico, to pick up a load of onions and deliver them to Olate, Kansas, the documents state.

Rubio further told investigators he suspected “something wasn’t right” because he was taking an empty trailer to New Mexico and “thought Jose was moving drugs,” according to court documents. Rubio said Jose had previously asked him to drive an empty trailer from El Paso to Dallas on three to four occasions and paid him between $1,000 and $1,500 cash for each trip, documents show.

Rubio is facing one charge of conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute and has a detention hearing set for 9:30 a.m. on Friday in El Paso before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leon Schydlower.

Border Report

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

 

MAIN AREA MIDDLE drop zone ⇩

Trending on NewsNation

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241119133138

MAIN AREA BOTTOM drop zone ⇩

tt

KC Chiefs parade shooting: 1 dead, 21 shot including 9 kids | Morning in America

Witness of Chiefs parade shooting describes suspect | Banfield

Kansas City Chiefs parade shooting: Mom of 2 dead, over 20 shot | Banfield

WWE star Ashley Massaro 'threatened' by board to keep quiet about alleged rape: Friend | Banfield

Friend of WWE star: Ashley Massaro 'spent hours' sobbing after alleged rape | Banfield

Fair

la

69°F Fair Feels like 69°
Wind
7 mph SW
Humidity
26%
Sunrise
Sunset

Tonight

A few passing clouds. Low 47F. Winds light and variable.
47°F A few passing clouds. Low 47F. Winds light and variable.
Wind
2 mph NNE
Precip
10%
Sunset
Moon Phase
Waning Gibbous