Border Patrol arrests Lubbock couple with $1.7 million in heroin, meth

HIDALGO, Texas (KCBD) - A Lubbock man and woman were arrested at the Hidalgo International Bridge by U.S. Customs and Border Protection on June 10, 2020 after officers found 20 packages of alleged methamphetamine weighing 77.20 pounds (35.02 kgs) and one package of alleged heroin that weighed 4.71 pounds (2.14 kgs) in the vehicle they were driving.

Officials say 32-year-old Monica Sue Mendez and 31-year-old Miguel Servin, both U.S. citizens, were in a 2019 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross. They were coming from Mexico into Texas.

Federal court documents say Mendez told officials she was from Lubbock and worked as a caregiver for Servin. She said they traveled to Mexico to get medical treatment for Servin.

A computer-generated referral caused officials to perform a secondary inspection for an intensive examination. During that inspection, a canine scanned the vehicle and positively alerted to the odor of a controlled substance.

Officers found the narcotics hidden within the vehicle. The drugs were hidden within the floorboard of the vehicle.

During the investigation Servin told investigators he was transporting some type of controlled substance and he said he would be paid $1,000 to smuggle the narcotics.

During the interview with Mendez, she also said she knew she was transporting some type of controlled substance. They both admitted they had previously smuggled drugs into the United States from Mexico.

“Our frontline officers’ persistence and perseverance in carrying out CBP’s border security mission is reflected in seizures like this,” said Carlos Rodriguez, Port Director, Hidalgo/ Pharr/Anzalduas. “This continued commitment helps protect our communities from dangerous drugs.”

CBP OFO seized the narcotics, the vehicle and arrested both travelers who were ultimately turned over to agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) who will continue with the investigation.

“Our frontline officers employ great persistence, perseverance in carrying out CBP’s border security mission and that continued outstanding commitment helps protect our communities from these dangerous drugs.”

Federal court documents say the duo will be in temporary custody until a hearing is held on June 16, 2020 at 3 p.m.

They were both charged with illegal importation of a controlled substance, approximately 35 kilos of meth and 2 kilos of heroin. They have also been charged with conspiracy to illegally import those same controlled substances.

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