McAllen man accused of importing psychedelic from Brazil
A 25-year-old McAllen man may face up to 20 years in federal prison after authorities say he imported a psychedelic from Brazil.
Mario Alberto Molina on Thursday was indicted by a federal grand jury after being accused of importing dimethyltryptamine (DMT) into the U.S., according to a news release from the U.S Attorney’s Office Southern District of Texas.
“DMT is a powerful hallucinogenic drug, most often in the form of a powder when synthetically constructed, with intense effects comparable to that of other psychedelic drugs. It is the primary psychoactive ingredient in the drug ayahuasca and is a Schedule I controlled substance,” the news release stated.
Prosecutors say authorities performed a routine inspection of a package from Brazil in Miami, Florida, that was allegedly destined for Molina’s residence in McAllen.
The package was marked as a natural dye for tie-dye purposes, but authorities discovered a powdery substance later determined to be 4.5 kilograms of DMT, according to the criminal complaint originally filed in the case.
If convicted, Molina faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $1 million maximum fine.