TUCSON, Ariz. – U.S. Border Patrol agents discovered fentanyl in a sedan’s air conditioning unit at the Interstate 19 Immigration Checkpoint near Amado, Arizona, Tuesday afternoon.
Tucson Sector agents encountered the 1999 Lincoln at the checkpoint around 4:45 p.m. After a K-9 alerted to the vehicle during an open air sniff, agents referred it to secondary inspection.
In their subsequent search of the car and its air conditioning system, agents seized a bag of blue pills that later tested positive for fentanyl. Agents also seized a GPS tracking device they believe smugglers used to track the vehicle’s location.
of fentanyl inside of a smuggling vehicle's
a/c compressor.
The bundle of pills weighed 1.50 pounds. The drugs have a street value of more than $16,000.
The U.S. citizen driver was arrested on federal drug smuggling charges. The case has since been referred to Homeland Security Investigations.
For more details regarding this news release, contact the Tucson Sector Public Affairs Office at tca-pao@cbp.dhs.gov or by phone at 520-748-3210. Tucson Sector is also LiveU capable. Contact us to schedule an interview.