A United States Customs and Border Protection agent stands accused of being a Mexican drug cartel member who exploited his position to smuggle illegal aliens into the country.
CBP officer Manuel Perez Jr., 32, was terminated from the agency when he was arrested on federal human- and drug-smuggling charges on February 8, according to the El Paso Times.
‘By all measures, he lives in Mexico.’
Perez, a U.S. citizen born in California, was stationed at the Paso del Norte International Bridge in El Paso, Texas.
If found guilty, he could face up to a decade in prison.
A special agent with the CBP Office of Professional Responsibility testified that Perez was a member of a drug cartel.
“Multiple witnesses said he belonged to La Linea cartel in Mexico,” the special agent stated.
The agent explained that intercepted phone calls from smugglers promised a “100% guaranteed” border crossing,…
