DEL RIO, Texas - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Del Rio International Bridge recently discovered more than a quarter-million dollars’ worth of suspected narcotics hidden in a vehicle coming from Mexico.
“Smugglers resort to endless creative methods in order to get their contraband into the United States,” said Port Director Alberto D. Perez, Del Rio Port of Entry. “The dedication of our frontline CBP officers kept this load of dangerous narcotics from entering our country.”
On Dec. 11, CBP officers, working at the Del Rio Port of Entry, encountered a 2007 Nissan Murano as it arrived in the United States from Mexico. Upon inspection, CBP officers discovered three wall art frames. Following a scan by a non-intrusive imaging system and inspection by a CBP canine, officers discovered the frames contained suspected heroin. Officers seized 12 packages totaling 11.5 pounds of suspected heroin, worth an estimated $260,000.
The driver, a 44-year-old woman, and a passenger, a 25-year-old woman, both Mexican nationals, were turned over to Homeland Security Investigations for federal prosecution.
CBP’s Del Rio Port of Entry is part of the Joint Task Force-West South Texas Corridor, which leverages federal, state and local resources to combat transnational criminal organizations.