A former Mexican soccer player is in U.S. federal custody in connection with the smuggling of fake luxury watches that he allegedly moved into Mexico to be sold at high profits. Authorities estimate the value at up to $5.4 million.
Last week, federal agents arrested 54-year-old Pedro Hernandez Calderon in Laredo, Texas, and took him before a magistrate judge who ordered he be held without bond pending trial. Hernandez Calderon is well known in Mexico for his years as a goalkeeper for the professional soccer teams Necaxa, Atlas and Santos Laguna.
According to information released by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, between June 2025 and last month, Hernandez received numerous shipments of fake luxury watches from overseas at a business he had in Laredo, then shipped them to customers in Mexico.
The case began on October 5, when postal authorities seized a shipment of fake luxury watches shipped from overseas and meant for a warehouse in Laredo. The warehouse was an import-export business run by Hernandez. Investigators were able to track down the shipments and confirm that the watches were fake, while also finding information documenting numerous shipments involving Hernandez.
Most of the case remains under seal in federal court, possibly pointing to various other individuals involved in the conspiracy. It remains unclear if more arrests are pending and what other charges could be filed..
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart News Foundation. He co-founded Breitbart News Foundation’s Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com.
Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart News Foundation’s Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.
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