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Man with ties to Mexican cartel drug traffickers arrested, held on $1.5 million bond

PRE News & Ideas | By Annette Weston
Published October 30, 2024 at 7:26 AM EDT
Hector Rivera II was initially jailed on a $250,000 secured bond, but it was increased to $1.5 million during his first court appearance on Monday.
Carteret County Sheriff's Office
Hector Rivera II was initially jailed on a $250,000 secured bond, but it was increased to $1.5 million during his first court appearance on Monday.

An eastern North Carolina man investigators say has ties to Mexican cartel drug traffickers has been arrested after a high-speed chase ended in the discovery of a kilo of cocaine in a trailer hitched to his vehicle.

Carteret County deputies tried to stop Hector Rivera II last Monday, but he instead led them on a high-speed chase into Onslow County.

Deputies say the man abandoned his vehicle and the cocaine was found inside the trailer.

With the help of Onslow County deputies, the Hubert man was finally caught on Friday and was charged with three counts of trafficking cocaine and felony flee to elude arrest.

Rivera was initially jailed on a $250,000 secured bond, but it was increased to $1.5 million during his first court appearance on Monday.
Annette Weston
Annette is originally a Midwest gal, born and raised in Michigan, but with career stops in many surrounding states, the Pacific Northwest, and various parts of the southeast. An award-winning journalist and mother of four, Annette moved to eastern North Carolina in 2019 to be closer to family – in particular, her two young grandchildren. It’s possible that a -27 day with a -68 windchill in Minnesota may have also played a role in that decision. In her spare time, Annette does a lot of kiddo cuddling, reading, and producing the coolest Halloween costumes anyone has ever seen. She has also worked as a diversity and inclusion facilitator serving school districts and large corporations. It’s the people that make this beautiful area special, and she wants to share those stories that touch the hearts of others. If you have a story idea to share, please reach out by email to westona@cravencc.edu.
See stories by Annette Weston