Florida man accused of recruiting truck drivers to smuggle drugs

Leesburg, FL, United States (4E) – A 42-year-old man from Leesburg, Florida has been recently charged of conspiring with truck drivers to smuggle thousands of pounds of marijuana from a South Texas city to Chicago.

According to a criminal complaint filed in court earlier this month, Lake County sheriff’s investigators said Santos Gomez has been zealously recruiting truck drivers who expressed interest to transport drugs across the country since October.

Undercover officers decided to present one of their confidential informants, who happened to be a truck driver, to the suspected drug traffickers.

The complaint stated that Gomez had conceded to pay the informant $25,000 to transfer the drugs. He also stayed in contact during the trip, asking about the status of the load.

It was documented that Gomez told the driver to go to east Texas, fetch the tractor-trailer and head to Chicago.

Upon reaching Chicago, Gomez proceeded to give instructions on the tractor-trailer’s destination. The truck finally stowed its cargo at a warehouse on the southwest side of Chicago.

Police, who has been following the truck when it entered Chicago, discovered 5,720 pounds of marijuana worth 20 million dollars, concealed in bundles of cilantro.

Gomez and three other men in Texas have also been charged with conspiring to knowingly posses and distribute the drugs.

---

---