Customs and Border Protection officers arrested three Mexican nationals and one U.S. citizen during separate weekend attempts to smuggle almost $992,000 worth of cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana through the Port of Nogales.
The first incident occurred Aug. 27 when officers referred a 30-year-old woman from Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico for a secondary inspection of her KIA van at the Dennis DeConcini crossing. A positive alert by a CBP narcotics-detection canine led to the discovery of nearly 72 pounds of meth, worth more than $215,000, within a non-factory compartment inside the vehicle’s rear cargo area.
On Aug. 26 officers at the Mariposa crossing found more than 11 pounds of cocaine, valued at nearly $125,000, in a Honda van driven by a 25-year-old female U.S. citizen living in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. A canine’s alert also led officers to more than 25 pounds of meth, worth almost $76,000, and more than one pound of marijuana, valued more than $600.
On Aug 25, officers stopped two drug loads. One stop netted more than 18 pounds of cocaine, worth in excess of $204,000, seized at the DeConcini crossing from a 41-year-old male Mexican national driving a Dodge truck. The second haul included nearly 26 pounds of meth, worth close to $78,000, and almost 26 pounds of cocaine, valued at more than $295,000, taken from a Ford truck driven by a 42-year-old male Mexican national at the Mariposa crossing.
In all, officers seized four vehicles, approximately 123 pounds of meth and 55 pounds of cocaine, and one pound of marijuana. All four subjects were turned 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.
Lukeville CBP Officers Find $290K in Marijuana
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at Arizona’s Port of Lukeville arrested three Arizona men Aug. 27 after finding 579 pounds of marijuana, valued at close to $290,000, during two smuggling attempts.
Officers first referred a 44-year-old Scottsdale resident and his 41-year-old passenger, a Phoenix resident, a secondary inspection of a Ford SUV towing a tent camper. During the inspection, officers uncovered more than 352 pounds of marijuana, valued at $176,000, concealed within a non-factory compartment built into the camper trailer.
Officers later referred a 32-year-old Phoenix man for further inspection of his Dodge truck and found nearly 227 pounds of marijuana, worth almost $113,500, within the truck’s bed.
Officers seized the drugs and vehicles, and turned the subjects over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
