SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers discovered 1.15 kilograms (2.5 pounds) of heroin concealed within a vehicle arriving from the Dominican Republic on the ferry on Friday.
While performing inbound inspections of passenger vehicles that arrived from Dominican Republic onboard the M/V Caribbean Fantasy, CBP officers performed a thorough inspection of one of the vehicles and discovered, hidden within it, an object which subsequently field tested positive for the properties of heroin. The heroin weighed approximately 2.5 pounds, with an estimated value of $75,000.
CBP officers arrested the driver of the vehicle, a United States citizen and resident of Puerto Rico.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is leading an investigation and presented charges against the subject for consideration by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, accepting prosecution.
CBP uses sophisticated methods to identify and target potentially high-risk passengers and cargo, including advanced electronic information about every passenger and cargo shipment entering into the U.S. before their arrival. “CBP officers remain vigilant in the protection of our borders and will continue to use their training and expertise to detect those that intend to introduce contraband through our borders”, stated San Juan CBP Area Port Director, Juan Hurtado.
CBP’s dual mission is to facilitate travel in the United States while we secure our borders, our people and our visitors from those that would do us harm like terrorists and terrorist weapons, criminals, and contraband.
CBP officers are charged with enforcing not only immigration and customs laws, but they enforce over 400 laws for 40 other agencies and have stopped thousands of violators of U.S. law.