San Luis, Ariz. - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers here seized more than $1.3 million in hard drugs during the weekend from two women and a man in separate incidents.
Yuma resident Manuel Rodriguez-Guerrero, 69, was arrested Saturday after officers found more than 13 pounds of methamphetamine inside his vehicle. The seizure took place after Rodriguez-Guerrero was referred for a secondary search of his Chevy van and a CBP narcotics detection canine alerted to the presence of drugs inside the frame rail. Officers removed 13 packages worth $206,300.
Local resident Nancy Martinez, 22, was referred for a secondary inspection of her Chevy van Friday where a service canine alerted to the rear lift-gate area of the vehicle. Officers then discovered 20 packages of methamphetamine weighing more than 13 pounds and valued at nearly $338,000.
Another local resident, Maria Soliz-Perez, 29, was referred for a secondary inspection of her Hyundai SUV Friday evening. A positive alert by a canine unit led officers to a compartment in the rear of the vehicle where they found 30 packages of cocaine weighing more than 78 pounds and valued at nearly $712,000.
In each incident, the drugs were seized and the subjects were turned over to U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations.
Individuals arrested may be charged by complaint, the method by which a person is charged with criminal activity, which raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent unless and until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Office of Field Operations is the primary organization within Customs and Border Protection tasked 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.