U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested a convicted meth trafficker from Mexico in El Paso, Texas. Martha Sias, who has a green card, was taken into custody due to her criminal history. She was on probation at the time of her arrest.
Background of the Arrest
According to court documents, Sias was arrested after authorities found crystal meth in her SUV at the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry on January 12, 2022. A Customs and Border Protection officer conducted an x-ray scan of the vehicle and found “odd shaped bundles.” During questioning, Sias claimed she and her husband, Oscar Ochoa, were in Juarez to sign up customers for supplements she sold.
However, officers noticed the vehicle’s doors seemed “unusually heavy” and had difficulty opening them during the inspection. A full vehicle search was conducted, and several taped bundles hidden in the rear door panels were found. The bundles tested positive for methamphetamines, weighing 20.6 pounds.
Sias pleaded guilty to manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance in October 2025 and was sentenced to 10 years of supervised probation. A DHS spokesperson stated that Sias will receive full due process and has an upcoming hearing after her arrest.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
