testtest

MULES!

HayesGreener

HayesGreener

SAINT
Supplementing Social Security

share.newsbreak.com

Texas couple, 80 and 74, charged in 345-pound border cocaine bust - NewsBreak

A Texas couple is facing federal drug trafficking charges after U.S. authorities found more than 345 pounds of cocaine inside a trailer they were towing, a
share.newsbreak.com share.newsbreak.com

Crime

Texas couple, 80 and 74, charged in 345-pound border cocaine bust
By Fernando Cervantes Jr., 21 hrs ago
USA
USA TODAY

Following
A Texas couple is facing federal drug trafficking charges after U.S. authorities found more than 345 pounds of cocaine inside a trailer they were towing, according to court records obtained by USA TODAY on July 6.

Authorities stopped Luke David Brader, 80, and Susan Brader, 74, at a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint near Falfurrias in southern Texas on July 1. A K-9 alerted agents to the trailer, leading to the discovery of 134 packages of cocaine concealed inside a hidden compartment, authorities said.

The couple appeared in federal court on Monday, July 6, on charges of possessing cocaine with intent to distribute. After they waived their right to a preliminary hearing, the judge found there was enough evidence for the case to move forward and ordered them to remain in custody pending a detention hearing, according to court records.

The U.S. Border Patrol logo is seen on an officer uniform at Port Everglades, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. February 17, 2022. By Marco Bello, REUTERS
More: $45M in cocaine seized after cross-border tunnel discovery in California

How do agents say they found cocaine?
The complaint says that Luke Brader was driving a truck towing a white box trailer when he and his wife arrived at the checkpoint, about 75 miles north of McAllen in south Texas.

During an immigration inspection, a Border Patrol K-9 alerted agents to the front wall of the trailer, court records say.

Agents then referred the vehicle for a secondary inspection and used X-ray equipment to scan the truck and trailer. They say the scan revealed a concealed compartment built into the trailer's front wall and inside that, agents found 134 packages of cocaine weighing more than 345 pounds, according to court documents.

What did the couple tell investigators?
Court records say that Luke and Susan Brader later admitted to agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency that they knew illegal narcotics were inside the trailer.

According to the complaint, the couple told investigators they expected to be paid between $5,000 and $10,000 to transport the trailer to Houston.

What charges do they face?
The Braders were charged with possession of more than 5 kilograms of cocaine with intent to distribute.

Online court records show the couple is represented by separate attorneys. Neither attorney immediately responded to USA TODAY's request for comment.

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Texas couple, 80 and 74, charged in 345-pound border cocaine bust

Facebook
Message
Email
Messenger
Copy Link
 
A buddy of mine was with the old US Customs, he was telling the story about the single tire track they found out in the desert along the border. Nobody could figure it out, so they set surveillance in the area. One night by the moonlight, they heard squeaking in the night. Turns out that an old man was pushing about 100# of weed across the desert to meet with a fellow on the road, to transfer the load.

Ya never know what comes next
 
Years ago I backed up a THP trooper on a traffic stop he believed we're stolen vehicles traveling south on US 59. Three cars in a convoy, all Olds Cutlass Supremes, all South Carolina plates. The trooper was able to get two of them stopped. Two old ladies on their way to the valley. Each of them had a very large empty suitcase in the trunk with a walking cane sitting on top. Neither needed a cane. They were getting paid to drive the cars. The one that did not stop was the ring leader. The suit cases had small pieces of Marijuana, I guess from previous trips. The one that didn't get stopped right off was stopped later in the morning.
 
Another incident on the border was an RV came across and was being inspected by a customs officer, who was 6' 4". This is an important detail.

The tall chap by this point in his career, had been in many RVs for various reasons. He noted that in this RV, he kept bumping his head on the ceiling. He was questioning this with his partner, and they were looking at the roof, much closer now. They noticed the door hinge appears to have been an air fitting, and was just on the upper hinge.

It turned out, the Lincoln fitting was active! When the air supply was connected, the roof was raised by just 3-4 inches, giving room to transport about 700lbs of weed! The couple, of course, went to prison for 5 years, and we had a bunch of burning to do.
 
Retired Bum said:
Another incident on the border was an RV came across and was being inspected by a customs officer, who was 6' 4". This is an important detail.

The tall chap by this point in his career, had been in many RVs for various reasons. He noted that in this RV, he kept bumping his head on the ceiling. He was questioning this with his partner, and they were looking at the roof, much closer now. They noticed the door hinge appears to have been an air fitting, and was just on the upper hinge.

It turned out, the Lincoln fitting was active! When the air supply was connected, the roof was raised by just 3-4 inches, giving room to transport about 700lbs of weed! The couple, of course, went to prison for 5 years, and we had a bunch of burning to do.
Click to expand...
1783475166143.gif



1783475209613.gif
 
Retired Bum said:
@KillerFord1977

As God is my witness! I do wish that Jim would have written a book before he passed, we did have some fun on the border!
Click to expand...
My uncle was a State Trooper for 30 yrs .. 60s-90s. When I was young, the troopers confiscated a large box truck of fireworks.
The “off duty” troopers had a hell of a beach fireworks show that year. The family all had beach houses in the same area. Prob 20 troopers and families. Late ‘70s.
Couldnt do that even remotely now ☹️🙄
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top