Bus passenger convicted for smuggling over $1.2M of pure meth in 48 jars of lard

LAREDO, Texas - A 62-year-old Mexican man has pleaded guilty for attempting to smuggle 63.85 kilograms of pure meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

On Jan. 10, Eleazar Vilchiz Alonso applied for entry into the United States at the Lincoln-Juarez Bridge in Laredo while on board a commercial bus. At primary inspection, law enforcement discovered several dozen jars of lard in his luggage.

As part of an agricultural inspection, authorities discovered a sandy substance within the lard which tested positive for meth. Law enforcement recovered a total of 48 jars in several suitcases. Alonso stated he was going to deliver them to an address in Houston.

Laboratory analysis later confirmed the substance in the jars was 100% pure crystal meth or "ice" totaling 63.85 kilograms with a value of more than $1.29 million.

U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo will impose sentencing July 9. At that time, Alonso faces up to life in federal prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine for each count.

Alonso has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Terence Andrew Check Jr. prosecuted the case.