MCALLEN, Texas — Several men are charged with trafficking cocaine in Texas, and it's believed some of them were delivering the drugs under the cover of UPS package deliveries.
Five people have been arrested on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
On multiple occasions between March 24 and Oct. 3 of last year, the five allegedly tried to transport cocaine through UPS packages.
Forty-nine-year-old Orlando Candelario Almanza of Edinburg, Texas, and 51-year-old Fidencio Salinas Jr. of Pharr, Texas, met with a U.S. magistrate judge Monday morning.
Two others — 48-year-old Javier Enrique Mendoza of Pharr and 58-year-old Jose Felipe Lozano of Edinburg — were arrested last week and have already made their appearance. Forty-five-year-old Enrique Bernardo Gamez of Hidalgo will make an appearance on a later date. He was previously in custody for related charges.
Salinas and Almanza are allegedly UPS drivers who were knowingly transporting the cocaine. Mendoza provided the packages of cocaine to UPS employees, while Lozano provided fraudulent package labels, according to the charges. Gamez allegedly stored the cocaine at his residence before it was transported.
About 60 kilograms of cocaine that these men trafficked were seized by law enforcement.
If convicted, the five men will face life in prison and a possible fine of $10 million.