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Busy Weekend for CBP Officers in Southern Arizona

Release Date
Mon, 09/26/2011

Nogales, Ariz. -CBP Officers at the Nogales ports of entry arrested four people over the weekend on drug smuggling, as well as two others who were attempting to smuggle undeclared U.S. Currency into Mexico. Between the drugs and the currency, nearly $274,000 was seized.

Early Friday morning, officers at the Dennis DeConcini port in Nogales referred a 25-year-old Mexican male to a secondary inspection of his GMC truck. When officers searched a utility trailer the man was towing, they located 90 packages of marijuana weighing 143 pounds. The estimated value of the drugs is $71,500. The truck and the drugs were processed for seizure, while the subject was arrested and turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) for further investigation.

Also on Friday morning, officers at the pedestrian lanes of the DeConcini port referred an 18-year-old Nogales man for additional inspection when he attempted to enter the United States. When officers performed a routine pat down search of the individual, they located a single package of heroin concealed in his underwear. The drugs weighed slightly more than one-third of a pound with an estimated value of $4,760. They were processed for seizure while the subject was taken into custody and referred to ICE HSI for further investigation.

On Saturday afternoon, officers conducting outbound inspections at the DeConcini port were alerted by a currency canine to the presence of a 14-year-old Nogales, Arizona girl and her 16-year-old brother. After they made a negative declaration that pertained to whether they were carrying any undeclared amount of U.S. currency, officers searched both teens. They were carrying $100,000. Both teens and later their mother were turned over to Nogales Police without further incident.

Also on Saturday afternoon, officers working the Morley Gate port of entry referred a 17-year-old Nogales, Arizona teen for a secondary inspection. When a routine pat down searched by CBP officers, they located a single package of methamphetamine that was being held inside of his underclothes. The total weight of the narcotics was more than a pound with an estimated value of $15,500. The drugs were processed for seizure, while the subject was arrested and turned over to U.S. ICE HSI for processing, while the subject was turned over to U.S. ICE HSI for further investigation.

And on Saturday, a 31-year-old Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico man travelling with his wife and daughter were attempting to enter the United States when officers referred them to a secondary inspection area. Suspecting there might be drugs inside the fuel tank, officers used a narcotics detection canine to verify the presence of marijuana. A total of 24 packages of marijuana, with a weight of 154 pounds and an estimated value of $77,000, was found. The driver was taken into custody and referred to U.S. ICE HSI, while the drugs were processed for seizure.

CBP announced the JFC-AZ in February 2011 as an organizational realignment that brings together the U.S. Border Patrol, Air and Marine, and Field Operations under a unified command structure. The JFC-AZ integrates CBP's border security, commercial enforcement, and trade facilitation missions to more effectively meet the unique challenges faced in Arizona.

CBP's office of field operations is the primary organization within Homeland Security tasked primarily 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.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021