Mexican national arrested with 27 pounds of cocaine in Roma

ROMA — U.S. customs officers arrested a Mexican national who was allegedly caught with about $847,000 worth of cocaine on Sunday.

Officers arrested Cesar Garnica Acosta, 38, of Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla., after 13 cocaine packages with a combined weight of about 27 pounds were found inside his 2003 GMC Sierra pickup truck, according to a statement from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Authorities said they discovered the cocaine after Garnica was ordered to a secondary inspection Sunday at the Roma-Miguel Alemán International Bridge.

There, a narcotics detector dog alerted officers to the scent of drugs beneath the pickup truck. An X-ray scan revealed anomalies in the vehicle's transmission housing. Officers then opened up the housing and discovered the 13 cocaine packages inside.

Garnica was turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agents, who continue to investigate. He remains in jail pending an appearance before a U.S. magistrate judge.

CBP officers seized the cocaine and the pickup truck.

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Jared Taylor covers law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4439.