Two Men Charged in 260-Pound New Jersey Meth Haul, Largest Seizure on State Record
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 12
Two Men Charged in 260-Pound New Jersey Meth Haul, Largest Seizure on State Record
1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 12
Federal prosecutors charged Marcos Cesar Acosta, 47, and Carlos H. Cordero-Gutierrez, 53, with conspiring to distribute 260 pounds of methamphetamine trucked to New Jersey; both were arrested April 28 and ordered held.
DEA agents tied the case to a California-based trafficking organization they began investigating in February, alleging Acosta was a member and Cordero-Gutierrez drove the load.
Authorities said Acosta arranged a 120-kilogram delivery with confidential sources, priced at $1,700 a pound, putting the shipment's value at about $442,000.
Prosecutors also alleged Acosta had links to the Sinaloa Cartel and received large quantities of drugs from Mexico.
The conspiracy charge carries a mandatory minimum 10-year sentence, up to life in prison, and a possible $10 million fine; prosecutors called the seizure New Jersey's largest meth bust on record.
How will courts distinguish between an alleged cartel manager and a truck driver facing the same life sentence?
Does a record drug seizure cripple a global cartel or is it merely a business expense?