Mexican Soccer Player Arrested at US Border for Smuggling 48 Pounds of Meth

Daniel Gomez, a professional soccer player for the Mexican team Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente, was arrested and charged with attempting to smuggle 48 pounds of methamphetamine across the U.S. border.

According to court records obtained by Joshua Stewart of the Los Angeles Times, Gomez was detained April 5 and charged with importing a controlled substance. A judge declined to grant him bail because he was determined to be a flight risk at a Tuesday hearing. 

Gomez is a United States citizen who told border patrol he was returning to the states for work. An officer found the methamphetamine after cutting into a spare tire, which was inconsistent in weight and appearance upon initial investigation. The report says Gomez “claimed he did not know anything about the drugs in the vehicle."

According to police, Gomez admitted he owned the vehicle but said he had traded it with another person three months prior. He retrieved the car sometime in March. 

Gomez's club did not return a request for comment, per Stewart.