A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer has been allowing vehicles loaded with drugs to cross the U.S.-Mexico border, federal prosecutors say. NBC 7’s Jackie Crea reports on July 6, 2023.
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer is accused taking bribes to allow vehicles loaded with deadly street drugs, including fentanyl and heroin, to cross into the U.S. from Mexico.
Darnell George, known to his co-conspirators as the "Goalie," is accused of leading a crew of seven others in an operation that allowed vehicles containing stashes of hard drugs including fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine across the border from October of 2021 through June of 2022, according to court documents filed by the United States Attorney’s Office Southern District of California.
George faces a charge of receiving bribes by a public official, and two conspiracy charges for trafficking and distributing drugs. Two other defendants have been in named in the group: Mario Gutierrez and Estaban Galvan.
NBC 7 hoped to learn more about the case against George in court on Thursday, but his detention hearing was postponed to July 11.
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NBC 7 did, however, speak to Victor Alfaro, a professor at the Center for Latin American Studies at San DIego State University, about the U.S. and Mexico’s binational relationship.
“On the border, many of the CPB are Mexican-
American and some of them have relatives on the Mexican side or friends on the Mexican side and probably one of those, who knows, may be linked to organized crime and produces an opportunity for that member to offer those officers (an opportunity),” said Alfaro.
“Behind it is obviously the organized crime with plenty of money to seduce and bribe authorities. It’s human nature,” Alfaro added.
Director of Field Operations for CBP in San Diego, Sidney Aki released a statement:
“The vast majority of CBP officers are highly skilled, hard-working professionals dedicated to our mission of protecting the American public, and we do not stand for those that would tarnish our badge. The San Diego field office will cooperate fully as the case proceeds.”
If convicted, George faces up to 15 years in federal prison, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. NBC 7 has reached out to George’s appointed attorney and has not heard back.
The FBI, Homeland Security, CBP and the U.S. Attorney’s Office all coordinated the investigation.
