⏱ 2 min read
A gruesome 151-pound methamphetamine haul was just one of 108 border-related cases filed by federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California this week. The cases included human smuggling, re-entry of deported aliens, and controlled substance importation.
Moises Quintana Luna and Alma Beltran Ponce, Mexican citizens, were busted at the Tecate Port of Entry with the massive stash of methamphetamine concealed in their vehicle on May 9. Customs and Border Protection officers made the discovery.
Meanwhile, Banucio Balderas-Ladino, another Mexican citizen, was caught hiding in bushes just north of the border, about two miles east of the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, on May 11. He was previously deported in 2019 through Arizona. His crime: Deported Alien Found in the United States.
And on May 14, Rene Marquez, a U.S. citizen, was arrested for Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. Customs and Border Protection officers uncovered the scheme.
The Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, thanks in part to the high volume of border-related crimes that take place along its 140-mile border with Mexico.
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📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Drug Trafficking
- Defendant: Human Smuggling
- Location: CA
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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