Trucker charged with smuggling more than 1,300 lbs. of drugs

EL CENTRO — On Thursday, Jose Guadalupe Aviles-Cordero, 60, was arraigned by Magistrate Judge Ruth Bermudez Montenegro on charges of importing 1,309 pounds of methamphetamine, 9.37 pounds of heroin and 2.64 pounds of cocaine.

Aviles-Cordero was arrested at the Calexico east commercial port of entry on Wednesday.

According to court records, Aviles-Cordero, a Mexican citizen living in Mexicali, Baja California, was the driver of a semi pulling an empty trailer as it approached the cargo facility.

Custom Border & Protection officers found anomalies in the roof area of the trailer.

Upon further inspection of the roof area, CBP o cers discovered 90 packages of methamphetamine with a weight of 1,309 pounds, two multiple packages of heroin with a weight of 9.37 pounds, and multiple packages of cocaine with a weight of 2.64 pounds.

At defendant’s initial appearance, the United States requested detention based on risk of flight.

The detention hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday before Judge Montenegro.

His preliminary hearing is scheduled for at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 20, also before Montenegro, a U.S. Attorney Southern District of California news release stated.