Two pilots from India remain behind bars in McAllen after authorities allegedly found two suitcases full of marijuana aboard their private plane.
U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested Moby George Thommenkudy and Snigdh Anurag on federal marijuana charges on Wednesday.
Court records show the two men piloted a private plane from Spring, Texas to the South Texas International Airport in Edinburg.
The two men then flew from Edinburg to McAllen’s International Airport where they allegedly picked up two suitcases at the McCreery Aviation gate.
The two began to taxi to the runway when federal agents approached the plane and asked to search the plane.
Agents allegedly found two bundles with more than 49 pounds of marijuana inside the luggage.
Court records show the two men are from India but live in Spring, Texas.
The two men said they were flight training but agreed to pick up the marijuana for their neighbor “Luis Carlos” who allegedly told them he’d pay for renting the plane.
It's not clear what the two men did for a living but FAA records show that Thommenkudy received a private pilot license in the United States in January 2008.
Thommenkudy's license shows that he's from Cochin, a city in the State of Kerala in India.
Anurag has a student pilot license that was issued in June 2008.
It shows he’s from Ranchi, a city in the State of Jharkhand in India.
Both men appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dorina Ramos in McAllen on Thursday morning.
Judge Ramos denied bond for them pending a Tuesday morning hearing.
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