Texas Duo Confess to Smuggling $2M of Fentanyl into the U.S.

Two residents from the Texas panhandle have each pleaded guilty to charges of attempting to smuggle over 25 pounds of fentanyl powder across the border from Mexico.

Texas Drug Smugglers Get Busted

A vehicle driven by 27-year-old Taneka Desha Felder and 40-year-old Gustavo Morales Aguilar was stopped by border agents at the Lincoln Juarez International Bridge in Laredo. Officers were suspicious and eventually discovered 10 bundles of the deadly substance hidden underneath the middle console.

The total amount of fentanyl powder seized totaled just over 25 pounds: a street value of over $2 million.

When questioned by authorities, the pair admitted that they were planning on smuggling the shipment across the Mexico border into Dallas where they were expecting to receive payment. They even purchased the vehicle for the sole purpose of smuggling the drugs, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal reported.

After pleading guilty, both Felder and Morales Aguilar face up to life in prison and a fine of up to $10 million.

What is Fentanyl Powder?

Fentanyl powder is incredibly dangerous as it's often used by drug dealers to mix with over-the-counter drugs or laced with other illicit substances like heroin, cocaine, or meth.

According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, fentanyl is a highly addictive and powerful man-made drug "that is similar to morphine but is 50 to 100 times more potent."

Not all instances of fentanyl are worrisome, as small controlled doses are prescribed by doctors to treat patients with severe pain either after surgery or for those who have grown tolerant of other opioids.

When someone overdoses on fentanyl, their breathing will severely slow down, often to the point of stopping altogether. This can lead to hypoxia, or a lack of proper oxygen to the brain that can send the user into a coma or can often lead to death.

Fentanyl is responsible for nearly 70% of all drug-overdose-related deaths in the U.S., so it's critical that we stay vigilant and continue to deny this deadly drug from entering the country to be abused by criminals.