Calexico, Calif. - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the Calexico ports of entry seized over $800,000 worth of narcotics in two separate incidents.
The first incident occurred at about 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 15, at the Calexico East port when CBP officers with the port's Anti-Terrorism Contraband Enforcement Team (A-TCET) arrested a driver, 34-year-old male, and passenger, a 35-year-old female, both U.S. citizens, after they discovered 16 pounds of heroin hidden in the vehicle they were occupying.
A-TCET officers conducting inspections of vehicles and travelers targeted the green 2002 GMC Yukon for inspection. A canine team screened the vehicle and the canine alerted to the engine area. The couple and vehicle were escorted to secondary for further examination.
A search of the engine area resulted in the discovery of seven wrapped packages of heroin concealed inside the vehicle's radiator. The street value of the heroin is approximately $192,000.
The second incident occurred early this morning at about 1:10 a.m. at the Calexico downtown port when a CBP officer conducting inspections of vehicles and travelers referred the driver of a silver 1999 Isuzu Rodeo SUV to the secondary area for further examination.
An intensive inspection that included utilization of a fiber optic scope resulted in the discovery of 20 wrapped packages of cocaine hidden inside a non-factory compartment in the gas tank. The weight of the cocaine was 52 pounds with a street value of approximately $624,000.
The driver, a 50-year-old Mexican citizen and resident of Mexicali, was arrested for the alleged narcotic smuggling attempt.
In both incidents, the violators were turned over to the custody of Homeland Security Investigations agents who in turn transported them to the Imperial County Jail where they await arraignment.
CBP seized the vehicles and narcotics.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.