Patricia Jeanette Copes, 41, from Pearland, Texas was arrested earlier this month for allegedly attempting to smuggle a virtual smorgasbord of illegal drugs across the Lincoln-Juarez Bridge into Laredo. The street value of the drugs was estimated by Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) officials at $1,312,000.
Copes was arrested with what CBP officers described as a “trifecta array of narcotics” according to a release obtained by Breitbart Texas. Copes was crossing the bridge in a 2006 BMW X3 when she was referred to a secondary examination area where a vehicle x-ray reportedly revealed the hidden drugs.
The CBP officers claim to have removed thirty-three bundles from the floor of the SUV. After field testing, the drugs were reported to be filled with 8.64 kilograms of Crystal Methamphetamine, 5.64 kilograms of Heroin and 4.6 kilograms of cocaine.
The criminal complaint also obtained by Breitbart Texas states that Copes was asked a series of questions at the initial checkpoint and made a negative declaration before she was directed by officers to the CBP secondary inspection.
The secondary inspection, including a physical and x-ray inspection, “which detected an anomaly inside the floor area of the vehicle.” A drug dog was then called in for a further inspection and resulted in a positive alert from the dog indicating the presence of narcotics.
Copes was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) where after waiving her rights to have an attorney present, she confessed to working with individuals in Houston and Mexico. She revealed that she was being paid $1,000 to drive the vehicle from Houston to Mexico and the back to Houston. She admitted to knowing the person she met in Mexico was a drug dealer and that she knew something illegal was going on.
Copes was arrested and transported to the Webb County Jail in Laredo where she is being held without bond pending federal criminal proceedings.
Criminal Complaint – Patricia Jeanette Copes by BreitbartTexas
Follow Bob Price on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.