"Operation Cocaine Pipeline" Uncovered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota
A brazen plot to smuggle large amounts of cocaine into South Dakota has been dismantled, with two Mexican nationals sentenced to decades in federal prison. Mario Castro Covarrubias, 37, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Castro Covarrubias was part of an international organization that arranged for the transportation of narcotics to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, from Mexico.
According to court documents, in October 2021, Castro Covarrubias coordinated with two couriers to get approximately 25 kilograms of cocaine delivered to Sioux Falls, which was seized by law enforcement.
In December 2021, the two again coordinated to ship approximately 42 kilograms of cocaine to Sioux Falls, which was also seized. In addition to cocaine, a shipment of 1 kilogram of fentanyl pills was organized to be shipped to Sioux Falls.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuting the case.
Castro Covarrubias was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service after his sentencing.
Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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