Mexican national pleads guilty to smuggling into the US nearly $2 million worth of methamphetamine

MCALLEN, Texas — A Mexican man, living illegally in McAllen, pleaded guilty Thursday to smuggling into the United States 75 kilograms (165 pounds) of methamphetamine hidden within a load of squash and cactus.

This guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney, Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas. This investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with the assistance of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

On Oct. 29, U.S. District Judge Randy Crane, accepted the guilty plea of Daniel Salvador Gomez-Reyes, 43, from Mexico.

According to court documents, on March 31, CBP stopped Gomez-Reyes at the Pharr (Texas) Port of Entry while he was driving a semi-truck loaded with squash and cactus from Mexico.  During routine inspection, CBP discovered 75 kilograms of methamphetamine hidden within false compartments in the pallets under the produce. Gomez-Reyes admitted he picked up the narcotics-laden produce under suspicious circumstances in Mexico and that he knew he was importing a controlled substance into the U.S. The estimated street value of the load of methamphetamine is estimated to be about $1.98 million.

Gomez-Reyes faces up to life in federal prison. Judge Crane has set sentencing for Jan. 14.  Gomez-Reyes will remain in custody pending that hearing.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys David A. Lindenmuth and Alexandro Benavides, Southern District of Texas, are prosecuting this case.