ALPINE, Texas — Officials say a man was sentenced to more than three years in prison for importing cocaine in wheels of cheese through the Presidio Port of Entry in Texas.
Aaron Balderrama, 23, was sentenced to 37 months in prison for smuggling cocaine into the United States, according to KWES.
Balderamma reportedly told U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers that he had “a couple bags of cheese” in his car while he was trying to enter the country through Mexico on July 20, the news outlet reported.
Officers conducted a search of his vehicle and they found four wheels of cheese inside. The officers conducted another inspection, KWES reported.
During the inspection, officers learned that the wheels of cheese had about seven bundles of a substance inside, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Texas. The substance tested positive for cocaine.
“Drug traffickers regularly try to disguise their product and sneak illicit substances past our proven safeguards and trained agents,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “Thanks to the keen eye and awareness of our port of entry partners, we continue to prevent drugs like this from infiltrating our communities and prosecute those who challenge us.”
“HSI remains committed to combatting the drug threat, keeping our communities safe from dangerous drugs, and bringing to justice traffickers who attempt to bring them into the country,” said Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola for the HSI El Paso Division. “Our robust, ongoing partnership with our law enforcement partners is crucial when investigating, prosecuting and punishing drug dealers.”
