⏱ 3 min read
A convicted meth smuggler is headed to the slammer for 17 years after trying to sneak 163 kgs of liquid meth into the US in propane tanks. Paul Ivan Palmero-Martinez, 51, was driving a Ford F350 tow truck through the Eagle Pass Port of Entry on June 5, 2022, when he was stopped.
He claimed to be on a mission to buy motorcycles, but US Customs and Border Protection officers suspected something was off. A K9 sniffed out the narcotics, and further inspection revealed six large packages of meth hidden inside propane tanks.
Palmero-Martinez copped to working with a co-conspirator who paid him to transport the meth to San Antonio. He had previously used the same truck to establish a crossing history, earning him $800.
A grand jury indicted Palmero-Martinez on four counts, and he pleaded guilty to one. Chief US District Judge Alia Moses handed down the sentence.
The investigation was led by ICE Homeland Security Investigations, with Assistant US Attorney Brett Miner handling the prosecution. The case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative to combat cartel activity.
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📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Drug Trafficking
- Defendant: Texas
- Location: TX
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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