MURRIETA (CNS) - A 33-year-old Mexican national accused of transporting over $1 million worth of cocaine into Riverside County was behind bars today, awaiting a preliminary hearing slated for later this month.
Sergio Alexis Macias Padilla was arrested last week near Temecula during a U.S. Border Patrol investigation on Interstate 15.
Padilla pleaded not guilty during his arraignment Monday to transportation of controlled substances and possession of cocaine for sale, with sentence-enhancing allegations of carrying in excess of 40 kilograms of the narcotic.
Superior Court Judge Elaine Kiefer scheduled a preliminary hearing for Nov. 29 at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta and ordered that Padilla be held in lieu of $1 million bail at the nearby Byrd Detention Center.
According to Border Patrol Agent Angel Moreno, at about 11:30 a.m. last Thursday, agents monitoring traffic at the agency's I-15 checkpoint just south of Temecula stopped Padilla in his Ford Edge going northbound. Moreno said a K-9 team conducted a walk-around, and the dog ``alerted agents to drugs inside the vehicle.''
``Agents searched the vehicle and discovered 41 packages hidden inside the front floorboard,'' the Border Patrol spokesman said. ``The packaged contents tested positive for cocaine (with) an estimated street value of $1,401,000.''
Padilla was taken into custody without incident.
``Criminal organizations go to great lengths to conceal and smuggle dangerous narcotics in order to make millions in profits,'' San Diego Sector Chief Patrol Agent Aaron Heitke said. ``This is done without regard for the health and safety of our communities. I am proud of our Border Patrol agents' vigilant efforts to keep this poison off the streets.''
According to the agency, in fiscal year 2022, which ended in September, agents in the sector seized a total of 1,039 pounds of cocaine, 10,600 pounds of methamphetamine, 1,052 pounds of fentanyl, and 163 pounds of heroin during investigations.
Padilla has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.
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