TUCSON, Ariz. - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers assigned to the Port of Douglas arrested a 24-year-old Mexican national after finding more than 250 pounds of marijuana concealed in a hidden compartment within the bed of a 1997 Ford pickup he was driving on Feb. 14.
Officers seized the marijuana, worth approximately $125,275, and vehicle. The driver was presented for prosecution.
Federal law allows officers to charge individuals by complaint, a method that allows the filing of charges for criminal activity without inferring guilt. An individual is presumed innocent unless and until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
CBP's Office of Field Operations is the primary organization within Homeland Security 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.