Man arrested in connection with attempt to ship a ton of meth to Australia

A man in California was arrested and charged on a federal criminal complaint stating he was connected to the attempted shipping of 2,205 pounds of methamphetamine, according to the United States Attorney's Office.

Jing Tang Li, 32, from El Monte, California, was arrested on Thursday and charged with distribution of and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He is accused of having connections to the shipment that contained over a ton of methamphetamine, which was destined to ship to Australia, stated a press release.

“Dangerous drugs such as methamphetamine devastate our community,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada in a statement. “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.” 

The drugs were sent out by a fake company and shipped in packages that were labeled as furniture, wheel hub testing equipment, a casting machine and carpets and textiles, reports the Associated Press.

The Justice Department announced the arrest on Friday, however the attempted exportation of the drugs took place in 2023, stated the press release.

Li could face a 10-year sentence if he is convicted.

Homeland Security Investigations, United States Customs and Border Protection and the Australian Federal Police are investigating the case.

Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. She has covered various topics, from local businesses and government in her hometown, Miami, to tech and pop culture. You can connect with her on LinkedIn or follow her on X, formerly Twitter, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz