Nicholas J. Ganjei United States Attorney for the Southern District of Texas | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas
A Mexican citizen has been sentenced to 132 months in federal prison for his involvement in a methamphetamine smuggling operation, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Jose Angel Ibarra-Rojas, 36, pleaded guilty on November 6, 2024, to possessing with intent to distribute nearly $3 million worth of methamphetamine hidden inside cabbages.
District Judge Drew B. Tipton issued the sentence and noted that Ibarra-Rojas is expected to face removal proceedings after serving his time due to his non-citizen status. During the hearing, it was revealed that the narcotics were cleverly concealed by removing cabbage heads and inserting methamphetamine balls into the leaves.
The case began on June 18, 2024, when law enforcement stopped a tractor-trailer in Pharr with Ibarra-Rojas as a passenger. A search uncovered 1,154 plastic-wrapped packages containing methamphetamine within the cabbages in the cargo area. The drugs weighed approximately 1,356 kilograms and had an estimated street value exceeding $2.8 million.
Ibarra-Rojas admitted awareness of the narcotics in the trailer and acknowledged that he anticipated receiving $1,000 for arranging its transport further north into the United States. He also confessed to organizing similar transports multiple times before.
The investigation was conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), with assistance from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Hidalgo County Constable’s Office.
“The amount of drugs smuggled in this case is staggering, but fortunately authorities were able to seize it before it hit our streets,” said Ganjei. “ICE-HSI, CBP, and the Hidalgo County Constable’s Office should be commended for their excellent work in keeping this meth out of our community.”
Ibarra-Rojas will remain in custody until he is transferred to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility at a later date. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexa D. Parcell prosecuted the case.
