PONTIAC (WWJ) – Two men who were in the country illegally are behind bars after a $1 million drug bust in Oakland County last week.
Rosario Eduardo Trejo Quintero, a 44-year-old Mexican national and Hong Yuan Li, a 40-year-old Chinese national, were arrested in Pontiac on April 21 after a months-long investigation by the Oakland County Narcotics Enforcement Team (NET).
Authorities seized 10 kilos of cocaine, with a street value of about $1 million. Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard says the street value of cocaine is approximately $100 per gram. Li was also in possession of a Taurus 9 mm pistol, according to police.
Quintero lists his address in the Mexican state of Sinaloa and was in the U.S. on an expired visa, according to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office. Li’s last known address was in New York City. He was previously deported in 2006.
Both men have been charged with the delivery or manufacture of cocaine over 1,000 grams – a charge that carries up to life in prison and maximum $1 million fine.
Li has also been charged with carrying a concealed weapon and felony firearm. They are both being held in the Oakland County Jail.
A judge set bond at $1 million for both men and ordered a GPS tether prior to any possible release. U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) has placed a federal hold on each man for possible deportation.
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The sheriff’s office says undercover NET detectives made the arrests with the help of uniformed deputies.
Undercover detectives had been set up in a fixed surveillance position in Pontiac when they saw Quintero arrive in an Uber. He got out of the car carrying a duffle bag and met Li, who was in another car.
With Quintero standing at the passenger window of Li’s vehicle, detectives moved in and took both men into custody.
Authorities found 10 kilos of cocaine in the duffle bag.
The Uber driver was questioned, but determined to not be involved in the case.
Both Quintero and Li are scheduled to appear in 50th District Court in Pontiac for a probable cause conference on May 3.
Authorities say Li had a prior misdemeanor conviction from 2004 in Newaygo County for corrupting an examining officer, while Quintero has no prior criminal history.
