Fbi shuts down huge liquid crystal meth operation in el paso

EL PASO, TX – In El Paso, a federal grand jury indicted two individuals for possessing approximately 512 pounds of liquid methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Gregg N. Sofer and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Britton Boyd.

The indictment, returned this week, charges 38-year-old El Paso resident Juan Francisco Padilla and 41-year-old Jamie Cuaron Garcia, a Mexican citizen living in El Paso, with one count of conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute and one substantive count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.

Court documents allege that on October 15, 2020, El Paso Police stopped a vehicle being driven by Padilla for a traffic violation. After obtaining consent to search the vehicle, officers discovered ten plastic containers filled with liquid methamphetamine and approximately $37,700 in U.S. Currency inside his vehicle. During a subsequent search of Padilla’s residence, authorities seized suspected drug distribution proceeds amounting to $2,000 in U.S. Currency and two firearms. Further investigation revealed that Cuaron assisted Padilla in the distribution of methamphetamine. The indictment further alleges that the defendants have been involved with their distribution scheme since September 2020.

Upon conviction, Padilla faces between 15 years and life in federal prison due to a previous felony drug conviction; Garcia, between ten years and life in federal prison. Both remain in federal custody at this time.

Members of the FBI’s Transnational Organized Crime Taskforce (TOC) are investigating this case. The TOC includes agents and investigators from the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the El Paso Police Department.

“Methamphetamine or ‘meth’ is poison. It destroys lives and leads to nothing but tragedy and suffering. Those who profit from peddling this poison must be held accountable. I want to thank the FBI’s Transnational Organized Crime Taskforce for working to protect the El Paso community and for taking an enormous quantity of meth off of our streets,” stated U.S. Attorney Gregg N. Sofer.

“These arrests and seizures show the FBI’s resolve to target transnational criminal organizations bringing liquid methamphetamine and other dangerous drugs into the El Paso area,” said FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Britton Boyd. “Our Transnational Organized Crime Taskforce was able to keep these dangerous drugs out of our communities and deny approximately 1.8 million dollars in illicit proceeds from a dangerous criminal organization.”

It is important to note that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.