BROWNSVILLE, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A Brownsville man has been arrested after allegedly attempting to enter the country with more than 17 pounds of cocaine.
Paul Andrew Halasz was arrested Tuesday on a charge of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, according to federal records.
A criminal complaint obtained by ValleyCentral alleges that Halasz attempted to enter the United States through the Veterans International Bridge in Brownsville while driving a Jeep Cherokee. Halasz was referred for a secondary inspection, where an x-ray scan of the vehicle revealed “anomalies” in the quarter panels of the vehicle, the complaint stated.
Officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspected the area and found eight packages with a white powder in the rear side panels, the document stated.
According to the complaint, the packages weighed a total of 17.9 pounds. A news release from CBP stated that the value of the cocaine was estimated to be $239,314.
The complaint states that Halasz allegedly admitted to HSI agents that he entered an agreement with people in Mexico to deliver the drugs in exchange for money.
Records show that Halasz has a detention hearing scheduled for Feb. 22.
