Mexican Police Officer To Be Arraigned Today On Federal Drug Trafficking Charges Involving About 20 Pounds Of Narcotics

RIVERSIDE,             California – A Tijuana municipal police officer is expected to appear in United States District Court this afternoon to be arraigned on federal indictment that accuses him of illegally transporting more than 13 pounds of heroin and over six pounds of methamphetamine.

Noe Raygoza-Garcia, 33, a Mexican national, was indicted on March 27 on one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine.

Raygoza was arrested on March 13 after federal officials saw him driving erratically on Interstate 15 near the Border Patrol checkpoint north of Temecula. After he was stopped by authorities and gave answers that aroused suspicion, a drug-detecting canine alerted to the vehicle, where Border Patrol agents found narcotics hidden in the rear seat, according to court documents.

If he is convicted of the one count in the indictment, Raygoza would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a maximum possible penalty of life.

Raygoza is currently being held without bond.

The case against Raygoza was investigated by the United States Border Patrol.