August 11, 2024 – LOS ANGELES, CA – A San Gabriel Valley man has been arrested on a federal criminal complaint alleging he is connected to the attempted exportation of more than one metric ton (2,205 pounds) of methamphetamine concealed inside shipment containers and destined for Australia last year, the Justice Department announced on Friday.

Jing Tang Li, 32, of El Monte, is charged with distribution of and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, exportation of controlled substances, and attempt and conspiracy to export controlled substances.

Li was arrested Thursday near a warehouse in South El Monte. He is expected to make his initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.

“Dangerous drugs such as methamphetamine devastate our community,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “We see the misery brought by highly addictive drugs on our streets every day. The massive amount of methamphetamine seized in this case shows how brazen drug traffickers have become and why it is imperative that we use our resources to hold these criminals responsible.” 

“Being a mere 3 hours north of the busiest land border crossing in the Western Hemisphere has made Los Angeles a critical cog in the transnational narcotics trafficking trade,” said HSI Los Angeles Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang. “HSI Los Angeles and our partners at U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Australian Federal Police are committed to dismantling these organizations on both sides of the Pacific.” 

According to an affidavit attached with the complaint, from February 2023 to December 2023, U.S. customs officers inspected seven shipments of different purported commodities destined for Australia. The purported commodities were falsely listed as carpets and textiles, furniture, wheel hub testing equipment, and a casting machine. The listed companies that were shipping the “products” were fake businesses. Embedded in the products was methamphetamine.

In total, law enforcement seized more than 1,000 kilograms of methamphetamine hidden in these containers.

Law enforcement eventually traced Li to the shipments and arrested him Thursday driving near a South El Monte warehouse where a robbery was reported during the early morning of August 8. In that warehouse, law enforcement found shipping labels, scales, and a package containing methamphetamine.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

If convicted, Li would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

Homeland Security Investigations, United States Customs and Border Protection, and the Australian Federal Police are investigating this matter. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department responded to the reported robbery.

Assistant United States Attorney J’me K. Forrest of the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.

Source: DOJ Release