March 16, 2016
Suspect with active warrant for murder – rescued
Tucson Sector Border Patrol agents rescued and arrested a man March 9 wanted for murder by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.
After a man activated a rescue beacon near Ajo, Arizona, agents, including a Border Patrol agent certified as an Emergency Medical Technician, responded to the location and provided aid while awaiting transport to a local hospital.
The man was treated for his injuries and released from the hospital into Border Patrol custody. While processing the man for entering the United States illegally, records checks revealed an active warrant for murder out of Maricopa County. Agents processed the man for extradition, according to Tucson Sector guidelines.
A Border Patrol rescue beacon is a tower located in secluded areas of the desert that people can activate when in distress. Once activated, a signal is sent to the Border Patrol who then dispatches agents to provide assistance.
There are currently 32 beacons deployed throughout Tucson Sector. Rescue beacons are comprised of solar charging systems, highly reflective rotating devices, and high intensity blue strobe lights on top of 25’ tall masts. The rescue beacons can be spotted from over 8 miles away.
Border Patrol agents often put their own safety on the line in harsh terrain and during extreme weather conditions in order to rescue people in distress. Tucson Sector has more than 4,000 agents trained as first responders, including 250 EMTs and 15 paramedics.
Customs and Border Protection also welcomes assistance from the community. Citizens can report suspicious activity to the Border Patrol by calling 1-877-872-7435 toll free. All calls will be answered and remain anonymous.
Nogales CBP Officers seize $273K in hard drugs
Customs and Border Protection officers prevented three separate attempts to smuggle almost 91 pounds of methamphetamine through the Port of Nogales earlier this week.
Officers arrested a 30-year-old woman from Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, on March 10 after finding almost 35 pounds of meth, worth more than $104,000, hidden in her Volkswagen sedan. A CBP narcotics detection canine alerted to the drugs when she attempted to enter the U.S. at the Dennis DeConcini crossing.
On March 9, officers at the DeConcini crossing arrested a legal permanent resident alien, age 32, after a canine alerted officers to the rocker panels of her Ford sedan where they found more than 30 pounds of meth, worth almost $91,000.
Later at the same crossing, officers arrested an 18-year-old legal permanent resident alien after a canine led to the discovery of 26 pounds of meth, valued at $78,000, in the rocker panels of her Ford sedan.
CBP officers seized all drugs and vehicles, and turned the subjects over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
Federal law allows officers to charge individuals by complaint, a method that allows the filing of charges for criminal activity without inferring guilt. An individual is presumed innocent unless and until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
CBP's Office of Field Operations is the primary organization within Homeland Security tasked with an anti-terrorism mission at our nation’s ports. CBP officers screen all people, vehicles and goods entering the United States while facilitating the flow of legitimate trade and travel. Their mission also includes carrying out border-related duties, including narcotics interdiction, enforcing immigration and trade laws, and protecting the nation's food supply and agriculture industry from pests and diseases.
Mother arrested for smuggling heroin, meth and cocaine
Tucson Sector Border Patrol agents from the Nogales Station, working at the I-19 checkpoint March 9, arrested a female United States citizen for smuggling heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine while traveling with her young child.
Agents referred the vehicle for a secondary inspection based on a canine team alert. During the inspection, a canine tracked the source of the alert to the rear of the vehicle where agents found eight saran-wrapped packages.
Agents searched the woman and found two additional packages. Combined, agents seized more than 12 pounds of heroin, approximately 2.5 pounds of cocaine, and a little more than four pounds of methamphetamine. The drugs have a combined value exceeding $207,000.
The woman will be presented for prosecution on narcotic smuggling charges, in accordance with Tucson Sector guidelines. Agents turned the child over to Child Protection Services.
Douglas CBP Officers seize $106K in marijuana
Customs and Border Protection officers at the Raul Hector Castro Port of Entry arrested a Tucson resident Sunday for an alleged attempt to smuggle more than 200 pounds of marijuana worth $106,000.
Officers arrested a 32-year-old Tucson woman, after a CBP narcotics-detection canine alerted to drugs concealed within her Lexus sedan. Officers removed nearly 200 packages of marijuana, hidden throughout the vehicle.
Officers seized the drugs and vehicle, and turned the subject over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
Lukeville CBP Officers seize $56K in marijuana
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Field Operations officers at Arizona’s Port of Lukeville seized more than 111 pounds of marijuana, March 6, worth an estimated $56,000, in a vehicle attempting to enter the United States.
Officers referred a 26-year-old Mexican woman from Puerto Penasco, Sonora, Mexico, for further inspection of her Chrysler van. With the aid of a narcotics detection canine, officers searched the vehicle and discovered more than 111 pounds of marijuana scattered about the inside of the vehicle.
Officers seized the vehicle and drugs, and turned the subject over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
Douglas CBP Officers seize $106K in marijuana
Customs and Border Protection officers at the Raul Hector Castro Port of Entry arrested a Tucson resident Sunday for an alleged attempt to smuggle more than 200 pounds of marijuana worth $106,000. Officers arrested a 32-year-old Tucson woman, after a CBP narcotics-detection canine alerted to drugs concealed within her Lexus sedan.
Officers removed nearly 200 packages of marijuana, hidden throughout the vehicle.
Officers seized the drugs and vehicle, and turned the subject over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
Nogales CBP Officers seize $287K in meth, marijuana
Customs and Border Protection officers arrested two U.S. women and a Mexican man for separate alleged attempts to smuggle a combined 216 pounds of marijuana and methamphetamine through the Port of Nogales over the weekend.
Officers at the Mariposa crossing referred a 52-year-old man from Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico, for further inspection of his Honda sedan on March 5. After an alert by a CBP narcotics-detection canine, officers found more than 61 pounds of meth worth almost $184,000 within the vehicle’s rear floor boards.
Earlier that day, officers at the Denis DeConcini crossing referred a Ford sedan driven by a 23-year-old Tucson woman for further inspection. After a CBP drug canine alert, officers located several packages of marijuana which weighed nearly 145 pounds and worth more than $72,000.
Friday, officers at the Dennis DeConcini crossing referred a 22-year-old Tucson woman for further inspection of the Chrysler sedan she was driving. A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of a concealed compartment which contained more than 10 pounds of meth worth almost $31,000.
CBP officers seized all drugs and vehicles and turned all three subjects over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
Federal law allows officers to charge individuals by complaint, a method that allows the filing of charges for criminal activity without inferring guilt. An individual is presumed innocent unless and until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Lukeville CBP Officers seize firearm components
A male Mexican national was arrested Friday (March 4) for attempting to smuggle nine separate parts of firearms into Mexico through the Port of Lukeville.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers conducting outbound inspections selected a Ford truck driven by a 28-year-old Mexican national from Ahome, Sinaloa, Mexico, for further inspection. During the search, officers found an assortment of nine firearm components.
The illegal contraband was seized. The case have been referred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations for further investigation.
