A Mexican citizen, Jose Angel Ibarra-Rojas, has been sentenced to 132 months in federal prison for his involvement in a drug smuggling operation. The operation involved nearly $3 million worth of methamphetamine concealed inside cabbages. This was announced by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Ibarra-Rojas, who is not a U.S. citizen, pleaded guilty on November 6, 2024. He is expected to face removal proceedings after serving his sentence. During the court hearing, it was revealed that the narcotics were hidden in a sophisticated manner with methamphetamine balls inserted into cabbage leaves.
The incident occurred on June 18, 2024, when law enforcement stopped a tractor trailer in Pharr where Ibarra-Rojas was a passenger. A search uncovered 1,154 packages containing methamphetamine hidden within cabbages in the cargo area of the vehicle.
Authorities confirmed the substance as methamphetamine weighing approximately 1,356 kilograms and valued at over $2.8 million on the street.
Ibarra-Rojas admitted knowing about the narcotics in the trailer and acknowledged that he expected to receive $1,000 for arranging its transport further north into the United States. He also confessed to organizing similar transports several times before.
The investigation was conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) with help from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Hidalgo County Constable’s Office.
“The amount of drugs smuggled in this case is staggering, but fortunately authorities were able to seize it before it hit our streets,” said Ganjei. “ICE-HSI, CBP, and the Hidalgo County Constable’s Office should be commended for their excellent work in keeping this meth out of our community.”
Ibarra-Rojas will remain detained until he is transferred to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility yet to be determined.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexa D. Parcell prosecuted this case.
