SALISBURY, N.C. — A Mexican National illegally in the United States for 25 years was arrested by federal, state and local authorities for trafficking marijuana through a scheme using FedEx to transport marijuana across state lines from California to North Carolina, the Rowan County Sheriff's Office reports.
According to deputies, the Concord Police Department was alerted to a FedEx package destined for a home on Tammy’s Park Road in Salisbury, North Carolina. A police K-9 trained in narcotics detection alerted to the presence and or odor of narcotics coming from the package.
A search warrant was obtained that led to the discovery of 20 one pound vacuum sealed bags of marijuana along with packing material, deputies said.
Investigators with the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, Concord Police Department, Salisbury Police Department, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Department of Homeland Security Investigations delivered the package to the Tammy’s Park Road address.
The package was secured by 37-year-old Yoshio Avila-Munoz and placed inside the mobile home. Deputies said Avila-Munoz left the home in a vehicle and was stopped at a convenience store in Faith, North Carolina.
Avila-Munoz was taken back to the mobile home and the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant, recovered the package and searched the home. Investigators found evidence of prior package deliveries from California, one handgun, one shotgun, two rifles, methamphetamine, and an additional amount of marijuana. The value of the drugs seized was approximately $60,000, deputies said.
It was determined that an immigration detainer had been filed against Avila-Munoz in 2004 in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, and he had evaded arrest.
Avila-Munoz was charged with trafficking marijuana, possession of methamphetamine and maintaining a dwelling for keeping and selling controlled substances. Bond was set at $1,000,000. An immigration detainer was placed on Avila-Munoz.
Due to Avila-Munoz being in the United States illegally, he is prohibited from possessing firearms and he faces potential federal charges, deputies report.
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