19-year-old Jonathan Zapata was $500 in debt with an unknown individual when he decided to take the opportunity to pay it off by driving a Honda Accord across the border.
 
During a routine car inspection at the Hidalgo Port of Entry, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized a large amount of cocaine with a street value of over $1.9 million from the Honda.
 
When the officers had stopped Zapata in his vehicle, he avoided eye contact and appeared nervous.
 
This lead officers to initiate a second vehicle examination where CBP became suspicious with the car’s tires after an X-ray inspection.
 
During the third inspection officers found 24 bricks weighing a total of 59.52 pounds of cocaine hidden in the tires.
 
Zapata said he borrowed $500 through someone he did not know and took the bribe of driving the car from Mexico into the U.S. in order to not have to pay the individual back.
 
He said he did not know what was in the Honda and figured it was it was money or illegal substances since he was asked to do this. 
 
“A well-trained presence at the border has once again proven beneficial in the protection of our nation’s borders, said Port Director Efrain Solis. “I applaud our officers for the work they do on a daily basis; and for keeping our country safe from these dangerous drugs.”
 
The frontline officers turned over the driver to U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security for further investigation.

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