18 January 2023
McALLEN, Texas (KVEO) — A man was arrested at a Texas checkpoint after allegedly transporting more than 180 pounds of cocaine hidden in his truck’s gas tank, authorities said.
Glafiro Valle Jr. was booked Jan. 14 on charges of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and conspiring to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, federal records show.
A criminal complaint obtained by Nexstar’s KVEO details that federal DEA agents in McAllen began investigating Valle on the suspicion he was transporting cocaine from the Rio Grande Valley to Houston.
On Jan. 14, agents were notified that he was detained at a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint in Falfurrias after 75 bricks of cocaine were found in an “aftermarket compartment to a diesel fuel tank” located in the bed of his truck, the complaint stated.
According to the complaint, Valle was nervous and would not make eye contact with U.S. Border Patrol agents while being questioned. He was then asked if his vehicle could be scanned by X-ray, which he agreed to, authorities said.
The X-ray detected “anomalies” in the diesel gas tank, the complaint stated.
Valle asked to speak to a supervisor and “freely and voluntarily” told the supervisor that they were going to find 75 kilograms of cocaine in the truck, the complaint stated.
Authorities found 75 bricks of cocaine, weighing a total of 181 pounds, the complaint alleged.
According to the document, Valle told agents he was transporting the cocaine to Houston.