4.8 kilos of cocaine seized following high-speed chases

EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – A federal grand jury has charged three El Paso men with conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

The charges filed on Wednesday stem from the seizure of 4.8 kilograms of cocaine following high-speed evasion attempts that led to a crash near Chito Samaniego Drive and a disabled vehicle on Gateway East Boulevard.

The investigation began after Homeland Security Investigations agents learned last month that Alejandro Torres allegedly was in possession of more than 4 kilos of cocaine. Undercover agents contacted Torres and agreed to purchase the cocaine for $50,000. Court records show the suspect allegedly referred to the kilos as mochilitas (little backpacks) during secretly recorded conversations.

Torres and a driver later identified as Ricardo Isael Martinez met with undercover agents in the parking lot of a hotel in the 11400 block of Chito Samaniego Drive at 11:50 a.m. on May 9 in East El Paso. Torres allegedly told an agent a second vehicle would bring the cocaine to the parking lot a few minutes later. A white BMW 328i driven by Alan Daniel Mendoza Cardiel drove up to the parking lot and the agent was shown four cellophane-wrapped bundles in the trunk he identified as cocaine, court records show.

The agent gave a signal and law enforcement officials wearing body armor showed up yelling “Stop!” and “Police!” One parked a vehicle in front of the BMW. Court records show Mendoza disregarded the commands and sped off the scene. He crashed down the road into a vehicle driven by another HSI agent and was taken into custody.

Meantime, Torres and Martinez drove off in a Nissan Altima and were spotted by a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper. Records show the driver failed to yield and sped into a neighborhood. The vehicle proceeded onto Gateway East Boulevard allegedly weaving in and out of traffic and passing vehicles on the shoulder of the road.

Records show a DPS trooper twice conducted a PIT maneuver – which involves crashing or “tapping” the rear side of a moving vehicle – until the Nissan was disabled.

Torres and Martinez were taken into custody and a loaded Glock handgun seized from the vehicle.

An arraignment has been set for June 18 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jose A. Torres in El Paso.

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