Former Cop Smuggles 27.8 Kilos of Meth into US

A former Mexican police officer has been brought down in a major drug trafficking bust, pleading guilty to smuggling 27.8 kilograms of methamphetamine into the US.

Cesar Alonzo Lopez Ruiz, 34, of Rosales, Mexico, thought he’d gotten away with it, but a search of his vehicle at the Presidio Point of Entry revealed 50 packages of the deadly drug hidden inside the gas tank.

Lopez Ruiz attempted to enter the US from Mexico, but Customs and Border Protection officials had other plans. The massive seizure is a significant blow to the flow of illicit narcotics into the country.

The 34-year-old former cop is now facing the music, pleading guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. US Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas announced the guilty plea.

Lopez Ruiz is scheduled to be sentenced on August 26, where he faces a penalty of 10 years to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine his sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection are investigating the case, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Greenbaum and Amy Greenbaum handling the prosecution.