SANTA TERESA, N.M -- U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations officers working at the Santa Teresa port of entry seized 610 pounds of marijuana late Tuesday afternoon, valued at approximately $488,000.
The seizure was made when a 1991 tractor-trailer entered the commercial area of the port from Mexico. A CBP officer initiated a secondary examination and an X-ray image revealed an anomaly within the commodity which was reported to be industrial machinery. An officer drilled the suspicious location and recovered a substance which tested positive for marijuana.
“The cargo environment is challenging as the varying types of vehicles and commodity have numerous places to hide contraband," said CBP Santa Teresa Port Director Ray Provencio. “Nevertheless, the determination of the smugglers to hide the drugs was not as great as the resolve of the officers to find and seize it."
In addition to the Santa Teresa cargo seizure CBP officers working at the El Paso port of entry made six additional marijuana busts Tuesday confiscating 448 pounds of the drug.
While anti-terrorism is the primary mission of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the inspection process at the ports of entry associated with this mission results in impressive numbers of enforcement actions in all categories.