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Alpine Man Caught with Meth, Gun at Border
A federal judge sentenced 37-year-old Mexican national Jose Miguel Lazarin-Zurita to 60 months in federal prison for attempting to smuggle methamphetamine and a firearm into Mexico earlier this year.
The conviction stems from an incident on January 27, 2021, at the U.S. Port of Entry in Presidio, Texas, where U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers discovered two plastic bags hidden in the engine compartment of Lazarin-Zurita’s vehicle.
One of the bags contained 26 grams of methamphetamine, while the other had 26 grams of cocaine. Inside the vehicle, agents found a Kel-Tec PLR-16 rifle, a 60-round capacity drum magazine for 5.56mm ammunition, and two empty 30-round 5.56mm magazines.
Lazarin-Zurita pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of attempting to export a rifle and several firearm-related accessories without a license.
U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff praised the law enforcement efforts and prosecutors’ commitment to thwarting smugglers’ attempts to peddle narcotics and firearms in and out of the country.
HSI conducted the investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eduardo R. Mendoza and Fidel Esparza III prosecuting the case.
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime|Weapons
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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