COBB COUNTY, Ga. — A couple from Mexico accused of hiding $400,000 worth of heroin in their 2-year-old's bedroom appeared in court Thursday.
Channel 2 Action News first reported this story in July when authorities found eight kilos of heroin stashed in their daughter's bedroom.
Authorities confirmed Juan DeJesus and Reyna Velez-Romero are members of a Mexican drug cartel, though a spokesperson wouldn't say which. They are accused of trafficking the drugs from their home.
DeJesus and Velez-Romero appeared in court and were charged with trafficking and reckless conduct.
Velez-Romero broke down as soon as she laid eyes on a Cobb County magistrate court judge.
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In the probable cause hearing, investigators said a June surveillance operation with Homeland Security began with a cellphone tip that led them to the couple's home here off veterans Memorial Highway.
"We received a subpoena to ping the telephone number which-end result... came back to this address with a three meter ping, which is about nine feet," the investigator said.
After a week of surveillance, they secured a search warrant for the house where they found eight kilos of heroin inside a spare, empty bedroom.
When asked if it was possible that the 2-year-old could have cut open one of the packages with a knife, the investigator said, "I don't think you would've needed a knife. I think you could probably just peel it with your fingers and open it. We only used a knife because it's easier and we didn't want to get the substance on our hands."
The investigator also said they observed the couple in illegal activity leading up to the day they executed the search warrant but the investigator said he could not reveal what that activity was because of a seal on the ongoing investigation.
The couple is also on a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (also known as ICE) hold as their case moves to onto Cobb County Superior Court.
Their child is in state custody.
Cox Media Group
