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Cloned Van Busted At Immigration Checkpoint in Ajo

Release Date: 
July 28, 2017

TUCSON, Ariz. – Ajo Station Border Patrol agents working with a canine at the State Route 85 North immigration checkpoint on Wednesday seized almost $199,000 worth of marijuana found in a cloned utility van.

Agents at an immigration checkpoint south of Gila Bend were alerted by a canine that a cloned satellite television van was filled with drugs
Agents at an immigration checkpoint south
of Gila Bend were alerted by a canine that
a cloned satellite television van was filled with drugs

When the van, driven by a 39-year old male U.S. citizen, approached the immigration checkpoint, a Border Patrol canine alerted to an odor it was trained to detect. Inside the van, within plain sight, there were numerous blocks wrapped in brown cellophane tape, later determined to be marijuana.

A BP canine alerted agents to nearly $200K worth of marijuana
A BP canine alerted agents to nearly
$200K worth of marijuana

Agents immediately arrested the driver for narcotics smuggling, seized the van and more than 396 pounds of marijuana.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Last modified: 
February 3, 2021
Tags: 
Border Security
Canine
Smuggling
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