Thread: Man schemed to place drugs in border commuters' vehicles

Man accused in scheme to place drugs in border commuters' vehicles

By Diana Washington Valdez/El Paso Times
Posted: 07/06/2011 01:20:45 PM MDT

A man accused of working with others to place drugs in the vehicles of unsuspecting border commuters will have a detention hearing Thursday in U.S. District Judge Norbert Garney's court, according to court documents.
In a lengthy U.S. criminal complaint, the FBI outlined how Jesus Chavez and others carried out the scheme that targeted innocent commuters in order cross drugs into the United States.

Juarez Mayor Hector Murguia said today that "It is lamentable that we see cases of this type in the justice system that involve innocent people, people who had drugs planted on them through no fault of their own," Murguia said.

"We have to guard against these kinds of things in Juárez, and it's a good thing that the authorities, in this case in the Unite States, discovered what these gangs were doing."

Murguia said the Juarez city government is launching a campaign to warn the public to avoid these situations by checking their belongings before crossing the border.

The detention of these people is a good step toward ending these criminal activities and "it is good news for Juárez that they were caught," Murguia said in a statement.

Diana Washington Valdez may be reached at dvaldez@elpasotimes.com; 546-6140.

http://www.elpasotimes.com/newupdated/ci_18418313

Man Arrested for Alleged Drug Smuggling Ring

FBI Investigation Reveals Drug Smugglers Targeted U.S. Citizens

Lauren Rozyla/KFOX14 News Reporter
Posted: 5:31 pm MDT July 6, 2011Updated: 9:43 pm MDT July 6, 2011

EL PASO, Texas -- After an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, one man was taken into custody in connection with a drug smuggling ring between El Paso and Juarez.

In an affidavit obtained by KFOX-14, one FBI special agent said a confidential source reported to him on June 2 that Jesus Chavez and Carlos Gomez were operating a daily marijuana smuggling operation from Juarez into El Paso. Chavez, Gomez and their co-conspirators would smuggle the drugs using the trunks of unsuspecting drivers' vehicles.

Chavez and Gomez accumulated hundreds of pounds of marijuana each week, and would ship those drugs into various U.S. cities, according to the affidavit.

The affidavit states the suspects would use paid lookouts to target professionals and students using the express lane at the Stanton Street Bridge.

Using a local locksmith, the suspects would create copies of car keys to break into the trunks and allegedly plant the marijuana, often more than 60 pounds worth in black duffel bags.

The next morning, after the target vehicle would arrive at work or at school in El Paso, Chavez and Gomez would use their copy of the target vehicle key to retrieve the duffel bags of marijuana.

Chavez and Gomez both have a prior federal drug conviction and met when they were both serving their sentences at the La Tuna federal prison together, according to the affidavit.

http://www.kfoxtv.com/news/28467498/detail.html