EL PASO, TEXAS—U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at El Paso area ports of entry made six drug busts on a chilly Saturday. They seized a total of 597 pounds of marijuana November 23. The estimated street value of the seized contraband is $477,600.
“CBP officers remained vigilant as a cold and wet winter weather arrived in the El Paso area,” said El Paso Port Director Hector Mancha. “In the heat of summer and cold of winter CBP officer stand guard supporting the vital homeland security mission of CBP.”
The largest of the six seizures occurred at approximately 7:30 a.m. at the Ysleta international crossing at the El Paso port of entry. CBP officers were processing arriving traffic when a 2000 Mercury sable with a single female occupant arrived and applied for entry at the primary inspection booth. The CBP officer noted a number of anomalies in the appearance of the vehicle. CBP officers scanned the vehicle with the Z-Portal x-ray system and spotted anomalies. CBP officers removed 70 marijuana-filled bundles from the rear seat and fuel tank of the car. The drugs weighed a total of 129.45 pounds.
CBP arrested the driver of the vehicle, 21-year-old Karla Alexandra Jaramillo of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. She was turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement HSI special agents to face charges in connection with the failed smuggling attempt.
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.