A major drug bust took place in Houston over the weekend, as federal authorities seized 182 kilograms of cocaine. The operation led to the arrest of three individuals, who are now facing serious drug trafficking charges. According to U.S. Attorney Nicolas J. Ganjei’s office, Houston-area residents Pablo Luis Fuentes-Rivas, 40, Efren Pinales-Hernandez, 51, and Daniel Teniente-Marfileno, 39, were taken into custody and are set to be transferred to Brownsville for their court appearances, as reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Last Saturday morning, the suspects were reportedly unloading a large amount of narcotics from an 18-wheeler at a truck lot in Baytown when law enforcement officials intervened. Teniente-Marfileno, an illegal alien residing in Houston, had just driven away with the illicit bundles before being targeted in a traffic stop by authorities. Fuentes-Rivas and Pinales-Hernandez were quickly arrested after attempting to flee the scene.
The street value of the seized cocaine is estimated at nearly $2.3 million, reflecting the scale of the alleged drug operation. The three individuals face charges including possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and conspiracy to do so, with each potentially facing a life sentence and up to a $10 million fine if convicted…