A person has been arrested within the San Gabriel Valley and accused of making an attempt to ship greater than a metric ton of methamphetamine to Australia, in keeping with federal authorities.
Jing Tang Li, 32, of El Monte faces federal fees of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute managed substances, exportation of managed substances, and try and conspiracy to export managed substances, the U.S. lawyer’s workplace stated Friday.
U.S. customs officers inspected seven shipments final yr that had been set to be despatched to Australia, authorities stated. The transport containers had been falsely listed as containing carpets and textiles, furnishings, wheel hub testing gear and a casting machine, in keeping with the U.S. lawyer’s workplace. The transport corporations listed for the merchandise had been additionally decided to be pretend.
All informed, authorities seized greater than 1,000 kilograms — the equal of greater than 2,200 kilos — of meth embedded in these transport containers.
“Harmful medicine reminiscent of methamphetamine devastate our neighborhood. We see the distress introduced by extremely addictive medicine on our streets each day,” U.S. Atty. Martin Estrada stated in a press release. “The large quantity of methamphetamine seized on this case exhibits how brazen drug traffickers have turn out to be and why it’s crucial that we use our assets to carry these criminals accountable.”
Authorities stated they finally traced these shipments again to Li, who was arrested Thursday when he was noticed driving close to a South El Monte warehouse the place the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Division had responded to a reported theft earlier within the day.
Inside that warehouse, authorities stated, had been transport labels, scales and in addition a bundle containing meth.
If convicted as charged, Li would face a minimal sentence of 10 years, with a most doable sentence of life in federal jail.
Homeland Safety Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Safety and the Australian Federal Police have all been investigating the case.
“Being a mere three hours north of the busiest land border crossing within the Western Hemisphere has made Los Angeles a important cog within the transnational narcotics trafficking commerce,” Eddy Wang, Homeland Safety Investigations’ Los Angeles particular agent in cost, stated in a press release. “HSI Los Angeles and our companions … are dedicated to dismantling these organizations on either side of the Pacific.”
