A Weslaco man was one of three people arrested in connection with a $2.3 million cocaine delivery operation.

Efren Pinales-Hernandez, 51, was arrested after authorities conducted an undercover operation involving the delivery of a tractor-trailer loaded with cocaine to the Houston and Baytown areas, according to a news release from the office of U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz.

Two other men were also arrested in connection with the operation. Pablo Luis Fuentes-Rivas, 40, of Baytown, and Mexican citizen Daniel Teniente-Marfileno, 39, were taken into custody.

The news release said Fuentes-Rivas pleaded guilty on July 2, 2025. He was sentenced on Sept. 17 to more than five years in federal prison for possession with intent to deliver cocaine. His prison term will be followed by three years of supervised release.

Teniente-Marfileno pleaded guilty and is scheduled for sentencing on Sept. 29.

On March 29, 2025, authorities ran an undercover operation involving a tractor-trailer loaded with cocaine being delivered to the Houston and Baytown areas, according to the news release.

Three vehicles traveled alongside the drug load and conducted counter-surveillance during the trip. Pinales-Hernandez drove one of those vehicles.

Law enforcement later spotted Fuentes-Rivas, Pinales-Hernandez and Teniente-Marfileno at a Baytown truck lot. They were offloading bundles of cocaine from the tractor-trailer into a Ford F-150 driven by Teniente-Marfileno.

The news release said after Teniente-Marfileno left with the cocaine, law enforcement stopped his vehicle, took him into custody and seized approximately 182.25 kilograms of cocaine. The cocaine had an estimated street value of nearly $2.3 million.

Authorities then arrested Fuentes-Rivas and Pinales-Hernandez at the truck lot as they tried to leave.

Fuentes-Rivas will remain in federal custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility. Pinales-Hernandez is awaiting further criminal proceedings.