NOGALES, Ariz. —Two U.S. citizens and three Mexican nationals were apprehended in separate incidents during the weekend for attempting to smuggle a combined 107 pounds of cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine into the United States.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers from the Morley pedestrian crossing referred a 33-year-old woman from Nogales, Arizona for further questioning as she attempted to enter the U.S. on Friday. A subsequent search of the woman revealed she was in possession of more than six pounds of heroin worth nearly $87,000.
At about the same time, officers at the Mariposa crossing referred a 42-year-old Mexican man for further inspection of his Ford SUV. After a CBP narcotics detection canine alerted to the presence of drugs, officers located 11 packages of cocaine under the rear seats. The packages, weighing more than 27.5 pounds, have an estimated value exceeding $288,000.
A short time later, officers at the Dennis DeConcini crossing referred a 25-year-old Tucson woman for further inspection of her Chevrolet truck. After a CBP canine alerted to the front and back seats, officers removed 22 packages containing $91,000 worth of meth and five packages with more than $135,700 worth of cocaine.
That evening, DeConcini officers referred a 21-year-old Mexican woman for a further inspection of her Dodge sedan. A canine alerted to the oil pan containing more than 11.5 pounds of heroin worth in excess of $162,000.
DeConcini officers made another seizure Saturday after finding nearly 19 pounds of meth, worth close to $57,000, in the rear quarter panel of a Ford sedan driven by a 23-year-old Mexican woman. Officers seized all drugs and vehicles and turned the subjects over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.