JULY 8, 2015
Weekly Arizona Border Report
Nogales CBP Officers seize $3.23M in marijuana
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Mariposa Commercial Facility seized $3,237,000 in marijuana – nearly 6,500 pounds – from a Mexican national Wednesday when he attempted to enter the United States through the Port of Nogales.
Officers discovered more than 140 packages of marijuana in a tractor-trailer driven by a 39-year-old man from Sonora, Mexico, following an alert by a CBP narcotics-detection canine.
Officers seized the drugs and tractor-trailer loaded with electronic parts and components.
Officers referred the driver to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
Douglas CBP Officers seize $256K in marijuana
Customs and Border Protection officers arrested a Mexican national during a failed smuggling incident Wednesday evening at the Port of Douglas.
Officers arrested a 36-year-old man after an inspection of his Dodge truck led to the discovery of more than 400 packages of marijuana, weighing in excess of 510 pounds and worth nearly $256,000.
Officers seized the drugs and vehicle, and turned the subject over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
Nogales CBP Officers seize $50K worth of meth
Customs and Border Protection officers at the Dennis DeConcini crossing arrested a Mexican couple June 28 after finding nearly 17 pounds of methamphetamine in their vehicle as they attempted to enter the United States.
A narcotics-detection canine alerted officers to the drugs, valued in excess of $50,000, concealed in the rear bumper of a Ford Mustang belonging to Ivan Eduardo Regalado-Medina, 22, and his wife, Karla Danitza Lopez-Chaidez, 20, of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico.
Officers seized the drugs and vehicle, and turned the couple over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
Lost Mexican nationals activate rescue beacon
Wellton Station Border Patrol agents helped four undocumented Mexican nationals who activated a rescue beacon in the Cabeza Prieta Wildlife Refuge early on June 26.
When agents arrived at their location, all subjects were assessed and determined to be in good health. Agents then transported the subjects to the station for processing.
Border Patrol canine detects drugs in spare tire
A Yuma Sector Border Patrol detection canine team assigned to Wellton Station’s Interstate 8 checkpoint alerted to a pickup truck’s spare tire Saturday afternoon. A subsequent inspection of the tire revealed 65 pounds of marijuana, with an estimated $32,500.
The subject, vehicle and drugs were processed per Yuma Sector guidelines.
Border Patrol agents seize a ton of marijuana, gram of cocaine, arrest two smugglers
Tucson Sector Border Patrol agents from the Sonoita Station seized a ton of marijuana, one gram of cocaine and arrested two illegal aliens in a single weekend incident.
On June 26, agents attempted to stop a suspicious vehicle on SR 83, but the vehicle fled. After agents stopped the vehicle using a tire deflation device, the driver and passenger, both Mexican nationals, ran from the vehicle. An aircrew from Office of Air and Marine, Tucson Air Branch, moved in and helped agents locate and apprehend the duo.
A search of the vehicle revealed 178 bundles of marijuana weighing almost 2,200 pounds. In addition, both subjects were in possession of .9 grams of cocaine.
Agents seized the drugs, worth more than $1 million, and vehicle. The subjects will face prosecution.
“As our ability to detect and deter criminal activity improves,” said Sonoita Station Patrol Agent in Charge Jeff Zadareky, “smugglers resort to more drastic measures to evade our agents. Smugglers are motivated by greed and continue to put lives at risk with their selfish actions.”
Border Patrol agents work diligently to combat transnational criminal organizations by negatively impacting their ability to transport contraband deeper into the United States. Tucson Sector Border Patrol agents have seized more than 533,000 pounds of marijuana this fiscal year, which began Oct. 1, 2014.
Nogales CBP Officers seize $1.45M in hard drugs
Customs and Border Protection officers arrested five Mexican nationals and a Phoenix woman allegedly involved in separate smuggling attempts since Wednesday at the Port of Nogales, resulting in the seizure of nearly 203 pounds of heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine.
Officers at the Dennis DeConcini crossing referred Julio Cesar Castro-Portillo, 38, of Caborca, Sonora, Mexico, for a secondary inspection of his Dodge truck Friday (June 26). A CBP narcotics-detection canine alerted to the presence of drugs within the vehicle’s dash and firewall where officers found nearly 19 pounds of heroin worth more than $267,000. The seizure also included nearly 13 pounds of cocaine worth almost $134,000, and more than 25 pounds of methamphetamine worth close to $76,000.
Thursday morning, officers at the Dennis DeConcini crossing referred Maria Del Rosio, 18, of Phoenix, for an inspection of her Chevrolet truck. A CBP narcotics-detection canine alerted to the gas tank where officers found multiple packages of heroin weighing nearly 25 pounds and worth almost $350,000.
A short time later, officers at the DeConcini crossing referred Jose Rafael Torres-Torres, 23, of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, for further inspection of his Ford SUV. A narcotics canine alerted to the rear air-conditioning unit where officers found more than 17 pounds of heroin, worth nearly $244,000; over seven pounds of meth, worth nearly $22,000; and almost three pounds of cocaine worth approximately $29,000.
Later still, officers at the Mariposa crossing referred Judas Tadeo Chavez-Valenzuela, 29, and his wife Aleyda Perez Perez-Camacho, 25, both of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, for further inspection of their Nissan sedan. Officers then discovered nearly 73 pounds of meth worth more than $218,000 and nearly five pounds of heroin worth almost $66,000.
Wednesday, a CBP canine alerted to a Ford sedan, driven by Jose Rene Vasquez-Cervantes, as he attempted to enter the U.S. through the Mariposa crossing. Officers found more than 16 pounds of meth, worth nearly $49,000, in a spare tire.
CBP officers seized all drugs and vehicles involved, and turned over all suspects 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.
