Salina (WSYR-TV) -- State police have arrested three people after a search of their vehicle led to the discovery of 10 kilos of cocaine.
Texas residents Ruby Irene Maxwell, 30, Mary Ann Selgado, 41, and Matthew Octavious Sandoval, 33 were observed by DEA agents Wednesday night as being associated with a mid-level member of the violent Mexican drug cartel Los Zetas.
DEA agents notified State Police, who in turn stopped the vehicle on the New York State Thruway near Exit 37 in the Town of Salina.
A drug canine was called in to assist and alerted police to the presence of cocaine. A search of the vehicle led to 10 kilograms of cocaine hidden in secret compartments throughout the vehicle.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Duncan says, “10 kilos in a single seizure by the DEA represents one of the largest amounts of cocaine that’s been recovered in a single arrest.”
As for its street value, Duncan says depending on how it’s marketed, 10 kilos of cocaine can equal up to $10 million.
Each of the suspects has been charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute
If convicted, the offense carries a minimum sentence of ten years incarceration and
a maximum life sentence, as well as a fine of $10 million.
Maxwell, Selgado and Sandoval are being held pending a detention hearing set for Friday.
