Mexican drug smuggler pleads guilty in Osoyoos-US border case

An accused Mexican drug mule pleaded guilty today, Nov. 4, to a charge related to a border crossing drug bust, putting a quick end to what was supposed to be a four-day trial.

Armando Esparza-Ochoa was arrested at the Canada-U.S. border near Osoyoos Sept. 1, 2018, and pleaded guilty to importing a controlled substance. At the time he was charged with that as well as possession for the purposes of trafficking, and failing to report at a Customs office. 

The offences involved multiple kilograms of methamphetamines. The maximum penalty under federal drug laws is life in prison.

More will be known in the new year when Esparza-Ochoa is sentenced.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Kathy Michaels or call 250-718-0428 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.