A U.S. citizen residing in Mexico was detained by federal authorities after she was found to be carting an enormous haul of fentanyl pills on a California highway earlier this week. Adriana Galindo, 34, of San Luis Río Colorado, Mexico, now faces charges that could lead to life in prison, a statement released by the Department of Justice reported.
The bust went down on Interstate 10 in the Indio area, where Border Patrol agents were conducting traffic stops. Galindo, who told agents she was heading to Los Angeles with her son to stock up on merchandise for her retail store back home, eventually gave agents the green light to search her 2015 black Chevrolet Malibu after a K-9 took a sniff and got a hit for narcotics, according to the affidavit filed on May 15. A further search at a Border Patrol station uncovered a hidden cache under the car's front seats, weighing in at a hefty 93.3 pounds of fentanyl pills.
Given the gravity of the offense, with over 90 pounds of fentanyl involved, Galindo is staring down a potential mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years behind bars if convicted – and possibly, a life sentence.
The DOJ disclosed that Galindo's initial court appearance was set for this afternoon at the United States District Court in Riverside. Danbee C. Kim of the General Crimes Section is at the forefront, steering the prosecution of the case. The Drug Enforcement Administration, along with the United States Border Patrol, has investigated this incident.
For further details, McEvoy's contact information and references to the affidavit can be found on the Department of Justice website.
