Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California charged 51 border-related cases this week, targeting offenses ranging from alien smuggling for financial gain to illegal re-entry following deportation and the importation of controlled substances.
Among the week’s high-profile border arrests there are:
- On Oct. 23 at the San Ysidro Port of Entry, U.S. citizen Angel Nuñez Calderón was taken into custody after customs authorities discovered 58 pounds of methamphetamine concealed inside the gas tank of the Nissan he was driving into the country.
- On Oct. 24 at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, Mexican national Bernardo Tadeo Ahumada Esquer was arrested on federal drug importation charges. According to court documents, CBP officers inspected his 2012 Dodge Journey and uncovered 34 pounds of cocaine stashed in a custom compartment fitted underneath the vehicle above the exhaust system.
- On Oct. 27 at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, Mexican national Diego Valle Villa was arrested after officers found 46 pounds of cocaine hidden in the center console and dashboard of his Lincoln while he was attempting to cross the border.
