Mexican national charged with attempting to bring over $100,000 of cocaine into country

LAREDO, Texas – A 40-year-old resident of Mexico has been indicted for attempting to import almost 10 kilograms of cocaine into the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment today against Ricardo Cantu-Vasquez. He is expected to appear for his arraignment before a U.S. magistrate judge in the near future.

The criminal complaint originally filed in the case alleges that on Feb. 27, law enforcement stopped Cantu-Vasquez for a traffic violation. Authorities conducted a search of the vehicle and allegedly found 9.5 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside a concealed compartment under the rear seat of the vehicle.

The drugs have an estimated street value of nearly $115,000.

If convicted, he faces up to life in prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and Laredo Police Department conducted the investigation with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany Jensen and Brian Bajew are prosecuting the case.

This case is being prosecuted as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF is the largest anti-crime task force in the country. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.