Former CBP Officer Charged with Human Smuggling and Ties to Mexican Drug Cartel

Manuel Perez Jr., 32, is accused of working with the La Linea cartel to smuggle migrants and drugs across the U.S.-Mexico border, potentially earning up to $400,000.

Manuel Perez Jr., a former U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer, was arrested on February 8, 2025, by the FBI for alleged involvement in human and drug smuggling operations.
Prosecutors claim Perez collaborated with the La Linea cartel, also known as the Juárez cartel, to facilitate illegal border crossings at the Paso Del Norte International Bridge in El Paso, Texas.
Investigators allege Perez received $2,500 for each undocumented migrant he allowed to pass through his inspection lane, with some migrants reportedly paying up to $16,000 for smuggling services.
Intercepted communications revealed smugglers boasting of '100 percent guaranteed' crossings, claiming Perez was 'in their pocket,' and witnesses reported he often traveled armed with a security detail in Mexico.
If convicted on charges of human smuggling, drug trafficking, and conspiracy, Perez faces a prison sentence ranging from 10 years to life.