october 28, 2015
Border Report
Nogales CBP Officers seize $757K in hard drugs
Customs and Border Protection officers arrested four male Mexican nationals allegedly involved in separate smuggling attempts at the Port of Nogales over the weekend, resulting in the seizure of more than 109 pounds of cocaine and methamphetamine.
Officers at the Dennis DeConcini crossing referred Cesar Rafael Garcia-Amaya, 40, of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, for further inspection of his Ford sedan early Monday (Oct. 19). A CBP narcotics-detection canine alerted to the presence of drugs behind the front fenders where officers found nearly 27 pounds of cocaine worth almost $278,000.
Saturday (Oct. 17), officers at the Mariposa crossing referred Jorge Humberto Mitani-Samaniego, 37, of Navojoa, Sonora, Mexico, for further inspection of his Nissan sedan. After a CBP narcotics-detection canine alerted to the presence of drugs within a front wheel well, officers found nearly 31 pounds of cocaine worth just more than $323,000.
Earlier that morning, officers at the DeConcini crossing referred Francisco Javier Nava-Reyes, 28, of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, for inspection of his Pontiac sedan. A narcotics canine then alerted to the vehicle’s rocker panels where officers found nearly 19 pounds of meth worth close to $57,000.
Friday (Oct. 16), officers at the DeConcini crossing referred a Ford Ranger, driven by Fidel Aguiluz-Ibarra, 41, of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, for additional inspection. Officers then found more than 33 pounds of meth, valued in excess of $99,000, in vehicle’s rocker panels.
CBP officers seized all drugs and turned all suspects 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.
