An Austin County Sheriffโs Deputy made a major drug bust on Wednesday evening, July 23, 2025, during a routine traffic stop along Interstate 10.
At approximately 5:45 PM, a deputy pulled over a passenger vehicle traveling eastbound near the 721-mile marker. The driver was identified as Celestino Leon-Noyala, a 29-year-old resident of Houston, Texas.
During the stop, deputies conducted a search of the vehicle and discovered a car battery in the trunk that appeared to be tampered with. Assistance was requested from the Austin County K9 Unit, and K9 Knox was brought to the scene. Knox alerted positively to the suspicious battery.
Upon further inspection, deputies removed the batteryโs top and found multiple brick-shaped packages hidden inside. The packages contained a white powdery substance, which later tested positive for cocaine.
In total, 6.7 kilograms of cocaine were recovered. Based on an average U.S. street value of $100 per gram, the estimated street value of the seizure during the drug bust is approximately $670,000.
Leon-Noyala was arrested on the spot and transported to the Austin County Jail. He is charged with Manufacture and/or Delivery of a Controlled Substance PG 1 over 400 grams, a first-degree felony. Under Texas law, possession of more than 400 grams of cocaine carries enhanced sentencing guidelines. If convicted, Leon-Noyala faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, with a maximum penalty of 99 years or life imprisonment, and a fine of up to $250,000.
The case remains under investigation.
