Cops: Suspect Caught With Bag Of Heroin Claimed It Was Actually Chili Powder From Guatemala

After being caught with a bag of heroin, a drug suspect told cops that his family “sent it to him from Guatemala and that he thought it was chili powder,” according to an arrest report.

Police say that Daniel Ascencio Barrera, 34, was pulled over Thursday evening as he drove in Clearwater, Florida. Ascencio Barrera was initially arrested for driving with a permanently revoked license.

During a subsequent search of Ascencio Barrera’s car, cops found a “large clear bag” containing a 29.7 gram mixture that field tested positive for heroin.

After being read his Miranda rights, Ascencio Barrera reportedly “stated that his family sent it to him from Guatemala and that he thought it was chili powder.”

Along with the driving count, Ascencio Barrera (seen above) was charged with a narcotics trafficking rap (the combined bond for the two felonies is $55,000). Ascencio Barrera is also facing a probation violation charge related to a prior DUI conviction. Additionally, a detainer has also been lodged by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials against Ascencio Barrera, a Guatemalan native.