Women Plead Guilty to Smuggling Balls of Heroin in Potato Chip Bags

Two Mexican women reportedly pleaded guilty to smuggling 1000 grams or more of heroin in potato chip bags in Laredo, Texas.

The accused, identified as 41-year-old Maria Luisa Hernandez-Alanis, and 40-year-old Tania Melissa Coutino-Hernandez, residing in Monterrey, Mexico, pleaded guilty to smuggling 1000 grams or more of heroin weighing 983.9 grams concealed in two yellow bags of potato chips inside their purse.

On Sept. 4, the duo arrived at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge Port of Entry in Laredo, Texas in a vehicle to enter the United States. They applied for entry into the United States by presenting B1/B2 tourist visas. The officers did not find anything suspicious in the first inspection. However, when they were referred for a secondary inspection, law enforcement discovered two yellow bags of potato chips inside Coutino-Hernandez’s purse, KTSM 9 News reported.

“The bags appeared to be sealed and unopened,” the DEA stated. “However, the contents felt like a heavy ball.”

Upon suspicion, the officers inspected the bag further. Further inspection revealed that the bags contained heroin bundles weighing 983.9 grams.

When questioned, the women revealed that they were both aware of the drugs in their purse. They told the officers that they were going to be paid $300 each to cross into the country with them and were planning on returning to Mexico after completing the deal with a large amount of cash, United States Department of Justice said.

U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo will impose sentencing at a later date. The accused face up to 40 years in prison and a possible fine of up to $5 million.

The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection.

In a similar but unrelated incident, a middle-aged Peruvian woman admitted to smuggling drugs from Peru into the United States after being nabbed with approximately seven kilograms of cocaine concealed within wrapped chocolate candy inside her luggage in March 2019, as previously reported.

Yolanda Fonseca Melgarejo, 59, arrived at Newark Liberty International Airport in March. 31, 2019, following a flight from Lima, Peru. The woman was shortly seized by Customs officers upon arrival after some seven kilograms of cocaine was seized from her checked baggage. It was discovered that Melgarejo and her accomplices tried to pass off the drugs by hiding them inside wrapped chocolate bars.

Melgarejo was charged with a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a potential maximum penalty of life in prison, and a maximum fine of $10 million dollars for her crime.