Mexican Officer Accused of Heroin Smuggling
A federal grand jury indicted a Mexican police officer Friday on charges that he tried to smuggle about 400 grams of black tar heroin worth about $100,000 into the United States.
Victor Florentino Magallanes-Casteneda, a police officer in Durango, was arrested Sept. 13 at Los Angeles International Airport. He is charged with importing and possessing heroin with the intent to distribute.
Magallanes-Casteneda, 62, arrived from Guadalajara wearing a jacket with two packages of drugs in the pocket, according to Assistant U.S. Atty. Pamela Johnston. U.S. Customs agents arrested him.
He is due to enter a plea Oct. 6 in federal court in Los Angeles. If convicted, Magallanes-Casteneda faces up to 40 years in prison, Johnston said.
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