TUCSON, Ariz. – U.S. Border Patrol agents in the Tucson Sector arrested two smugglers and seized more than 150 pounds of methamphetamine, fentanyl and heroin combined in three separate seizures last weekend.
Saturday morning, agents at the Interstate 19 Immigration Checkpoint near Amado referred the driver of a Nissan SUV to a secondary inspection. The encounter revealed numerous packages of drugs within the vehicle. Agents arrested the 37-year-old driver, a Legally Admitted Permanent Resident woman from Nogales.
Chemical testing confirmed the packages contained 65 pounds of meth and 13 pounds of fentanyl.
Ajo desert on Saturday
That same morning, agents tracking a group in a rugged desert pass southeast of Ajo seized more than 60 pounds of meth. A 38-year-old Mexican man was arrested during the incident. After an extensive search, agents found no other people in the area.
Both subjects arrested Saturday will be prosecuted for federal drug smuggling charges.
Friday, agents patrolling south of Three Points discovered a backpack containing small bundles of heroin, marijuana and fentanyl. The backpack had presumably been abandoned by a smuggler.
These seizures continue the recent pattern Tucson Sector Border Patrol has observed, with criminal organizations smuggling synthetic drugs through areas previously utilized for smuggling marijuana.
For more details regarding this media release or to schedule a remote interview via the LiveU system, please contact the Tucson Border Patrol Sector Public Affairs Office at tca-pao@cbp.dhs.gov or at 520-748-3210.