May 11, 2016
Border Report
Nogales CBP Officers seize almost $648K in drugs
TUCSON — Customs and Border Protection officers at the Port of Nogales seized more than 137 pounds of illegal drugs and arrested four individuals during multiple weekend smuggling attempts involving cocaine, heroin, marijuana and methamphetamine.
Officers at the Mariposa crossing referred a 32-year-old female Mexican national for further questioning and a secondary inspection of the Toyota sedan she was driving on May 6. After a CBP narcotics-detection canine alerted to drugs in the vehicle, officers removed multiple packages from the seats containing more than 14 pounds of heroin worth approximately $249,000; nearly 17 pounds of cocaine worth close to $190,000; and almost 39 pounds of meth in excess of $116,000.
On May 7, officers at the Dennis DeConcini crossing referred a 17-year-old male Mexican national from Nogales, Sonora for further inspection when he entered through a pedestrian lane. In the teen’s shoes, officers found more than two pounds of heroin worth almost $41,000.
On the same day, officers at the DeConcini crossing found more than 57 pounds of marijuana, worth close to $29,000, in a Nissan truck belonging to a 20-year-old male Mexican national from Nogales, Sonora. A drug-detection canine alerted officers to the drugs hidden under the truck’s bed liner.
On May 8, officers at the DeConcini crossing referred a 36-year-old Phoenix man for a secondary inspection of the Ford truck he was driving and found nearly eight pounds of meth, worth an estimated $23,000, in the spare tire.
Officers seized all drugs and vehicles, and turned the subjects over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
Douglas CBP Officers seize $240K in marijuana
TUCSON – Customs and Border Protection officers at the Raul Hector Castro Port of Entry in Douglas, Arizona arrested three Mexican nationals during separate weekend incidents involving attempts to smuggle almost 480 pounds of marijuana into the United States.
Officers on May 6 referred a 23-year-old female Mexican national from neighboring Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico, for a secondary inspection of her Isuzu SUV. During the inspection, a CBP narcotics-detection canine alert led officers to discover more than 200 packages of marijuana, weighing nearly 277 pounds and worth more than $138,000.
Later in the day, officers referred a 24-year-old female Mexican national from Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico, for secondary questioning. During a search of the woman’s Chevrolet sedan, officers found more than 132 pounds of marijuana worth in excess of $66,000.
On May 8, a narcotics-detection canine helped officers locate more than 70 pounds of marijuana, valued in excess of $35,000, in a Ford sedan driven by a 30-year-old man from Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico.
Officers seized the vehicles and drugs, and turned the subjects over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
Woman stopped at border wearing meth-stuffed bra
TUCSON – Customs and Border Protection officers arrested a 29-year-old Tucson woman May 5 after finding nearly $5,700 worth of methamphetamine stuffed in her bra.
After officers working at the Port of Nogales’ Dennis DeConcini pedestrian crossing questioned the woman, they referred her for a secondary inspection and found multiple packages containing nearly two pounds of the drug.
Officers seized the drugs and turned the subject over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
Have guns, will ‘not’ travel…to Mexico
TUCSON — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers arrested one man May 4 for attempting to smuggle three handguns – with magazines – into Mexico through the Port of Nogales.
Officers selected an southbound Audi Crossover, driven by a 37-year-old Mexican national, for a secondary inspection and found two 9 mm Berettas and a .38-caliber Colt hidden under the vehicle’s front seat.
Officers seized the vehicle and contraband, and referred the subject to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
CBP Officers confiscate $272K in hard drugs
TUCSON – Customs and Border Protection officers arrested three people during separate attempts to smuggle nearly 30 pounds of cocaine and methamphetamine through the Port of Nogales on May 3.
Officers at the Dennis DeConcini crossing referred a 32-year-old Tucson woman for further inspection of her Volkswagen and found more than 20 pounds of cocaine, worth almost $230,000, in the rear quarter panels.
Earlier in the afternoon, officers at the Morley pedestrian crossing referred a 25-year-old Mexican woman for a further search. After a CBP narcotics detection canine alerted to the presence of drugs, officers removed more than four pounds of meth, valued at more than $12,000, found wrapped around the woman’s calves.
Officers at the DeConcini pedestrian crossing found nearly 3 pounds of cocaine, worth almost $30,000, taped around the legs of a 22-year-old Nogales, Arizona man after a CBP narcotics-detection canine alerted to the drugs.
CBP officers seized the drugs and vehicle, 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.
Binational operation nets $12.5M in pot, 467 arrests
TUCSON – The Tucson Sector Border Patrol, supported by Air and Marine Operations, participated in a binational operation with Mexico between April 17 – 30 that resulted in the arrest of 467 subjects and the seizure of 25,000 pounds of marijuana valued at approximately $12.5 million.
Operation "Double Threat" (U.S.) and "Relampago Azul" (Mexico), coordinated by the Tucson Sector’s Foreign Operations Branch, involved mirrored patrol operations designed to disrupt and dismantle transnational criminal organizations operating on both sides of the border.
Authorities used a targeted enforcement approach to focus on illegal activities in high-traffic areas around Nogales. Throughout the operation, U.S. officials analyzed traffic trends and patterns in coordination with Mexican authorities and deployed assets based on joint risk assessments.
In addition to the drug seizures and arrests, the operation resulted in a 44 percent drop in illegal entries in the area of Nogales, Arizona; identification of 11 stolen vehicles found in Mexico; and the seizure of $250,000 in U.S. currency and $16,392 worth of Mexican pesos. Mexican authorities made a major contribution with regard to these seizures.
"The binational operation shows how the integration of information and mirrored enforcement can further secure our borders," said Tucson Sector Chief Paul Beeson. "Some of these drugs were seized in Mexico before they even had a chance to cross the border and further endanger our communities. Our ability to work in a coordinated fashion with our law enforcement partners in Mexico contributes to a safer border environment for us all."
Customs and Border Protection welcomes assistance from the community. Citizens can report suspicious activity to the Border Patrol and remain anonymous by calling 1-877-872-7435 toll free.
