A spare tire disguising a cross-border drug operation led to a chase and crash in San Antonio, according to federal documents.
SAN ANTONIO — Federal agents say drugs were smuggled into San Antonio hidden inside something most people would never look twice at—a spare tire.
Investigators say that unsuspecting car part was at the center of a cross-border trafficking operation that stretched from Eagle Pass to San Antonio—ultimately triggering a high-speed chase, a violent crash, and federal charges against three men.
According to federal authorities, what appeared to be nothing more than a loose spare tire sitting in the bed of a pickup truck was actually packed with methamphetamine.
That discovery would set off a chain of events leading investigators straight to San Antonio streets.
According to federal court documents, the investigation began February 12 at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry, where U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents flagged a white Ford F-250 after noticing the tire riding alone in the truck bed—something agents found unusual.
When Maverick County constables stopped the driver, identified as Edgar Garza Jr., agents say he admitted he was paid thousands of dollars to transport the tire—knowing it was filled with drugs.
Inside, investigators found 24 packages of methamphetamine.
Federal agents say the tire was then handed off to a second driver, Edward Viesca, who admitted he was paid $4,000 to deliver the drug-filled tire to San Antonio.
A search of Viesca’s phone revealed the planned delivery location.
The next day, agents say Maurcet Derick Ruiz-Zuniga arrived to pick up the tire, believing it contained narcotics.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, troopers located Ruiz-Zuniga driving a Dodge Charger near Old Seguin Road and Gibbs Sprawl Road on February 13.
When Troopers attempted a traffic stop, they say he fled.
Troopers pursued him across San Antonio—from the northeast side to the southeast side—before the chase ended in a crash at Pecan Valley Drive and East Southcross Boulevard, according to DPS.
Investigators say Ruiz-Zuniga slammed into two civilian vehicles—a Dodge Ram pickup and a Tesla sedan.
He then tried to run on foot but was quickly captured.
Authorities said no serious injuries were reported.
Homeland Security officials said the arrest was part of a joint narcotics enforcement operation involving federal and local agencies.
Federal documents reveal Ruiz-Zuniga told agents he had completed about 10 similar deliveries over the past year, transporting tires filled with cocaine and methamphetamine.
He said he was paid about $500 per trip.
Investigators say all three men—Garza, Viesca, and Ruiz-Zuniga—are now facing federal drug trafficking charges and could spend years in prison if convicted.
Authorities have not publicly identified who organized the operation.