( CNN ) -- A U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer was behind bars Monday after being arrested for allegedly helping drug traffickers move their product into the United States . The arrest of Jose Luis Zavala , 38 , a CBP officer in Brownsville , Texas , follows an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General , the CBP said . Zavala has been with the CBP for seven years and is now on administrative leave , the agency said . According to a criminal complaint , Zavala came to the attention of investigators on November 19 , when a van carrying about 3,000 pounds of marijuana tried to enter the United States at the Gateway International Bridge in Brownsville . The 2004 Ford cargo van pulled up into the lane where Zavala was inspecting vehicles , the complaint states , but the van was only inspected after it was selected for a random screening . Inside the van were the 3,000 pounds of marijuana , which , the complaint states `` was not hidden in a compartment or disguised to appear as legitimate cargo . '' The random inspection was a decision Zavala could not control . When asked about what happened , Zavala told fellow agents that the driver had a valid ID , and that the driver escaped back to Mexico on foot after being told of the random inspection , the criminal complaint states . Investigators learned that the ID did not belong to the driver , but to another person who agents interviewed on November 22 , according to the complaint . This person , now a confidential source for the government , told investigators that he sold his ID to a drug trafficking organization , and that the group was aided by a U.S. agent , the document states . The interview led to the identification of Zavala as the U.S. agent that the source knew as `` Pepe , '' according to the document . The source identified Zavala in a photo , and his description of Zavala 's vehicle matched the truck the agent drives , the complaint says . Among the evidence collected by investigators were some text messages sent to `` Pepe '' by the source , with what investigators say was code for when and where to cross . Zavala is facing drug smuggling and corruption charges . `` We do not tolerate corruption or abuse within our ranks , and we fully cooperate with any criminal or administrative investigation of alleged misconduct by any of our personnel , on or off duty , '' CBP said in a statement . CNN 's Mariano Castillo contributed to this report .
Jose Luis Zavala is accused of aiding drug smugglers . Investigators say he helped steer smugglers into his lane at international crossings . His apparent failure to spot 3,000 pounds of pot in a van raised questions .