DEL RIO, TEXAS—CBP officers at the Del port of entry arrested a California man Monday morning after finding more than half a million dollars' worth of narcotics and $11,000 in undeclared currency in his car.
Around 11 a.m. Monday, CBP officers, observing traffic arriving in the United States from Mexico, inspected a 2012 Volkswagen Jetta, driven by a 30-year-old California man, accompanied by his 13-year-old daughter.
During inspection, a CBP canine alerted officers to the possible presence of narcotics in the vehicle. An intensive search revealed contraband hidden in several non-factory compartments. Officers discovered 23 bundles of heroin, weighing a total of 14.34 pounds; and three bundles of cocaine, totaling 2.59 pounds. The narcotics had a total estimated value of $542,080. CBP officers also discovered $11,000 in undeclared currency.
The driver was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations for federal prosecution.
"This foiled incident illustrates how determined and creative smugglers can be in trying to hide their contraband," said Michael Perez, CBP port director, Del Rio. "It also shows how ruthless they can be when they disregard the safety of children in the furtherance of a drug trafficking endeavor."
The Office of Field Operations is the primary organization within U.S. 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 U.S. 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.