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  4. Marijuana Seized by CBP Officers at Presidio Port

Marijuana Seized by CBP Officers at Presidio Port

Release Date
Mon, 08/01/2016

PRESIDIO, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the Presidio Port of Entry seized 94 pounds of marijuana on Friday.

Drug bundles in fuel tank
Drug bundles in fuel tank

“This interdiction demonstrates how CBP relies on their canine partners in removing drugs from the streets of our communities,” said CBP Presidio Port Director John Deputy. “This noteworthy seizure highlights CBP’s determination to serve this nation in protecting our homeland.”

The marijuana seizure was made shortly after 3:00 p.m. Friday after a 2002 Ford Explorer entered the port from Mexico. A CBP canine handler working the primary inspection station selected the vehicle for a secondary exam after his drug sniffing dog alerted to the gas tank of the vehicle.  CBP officers scanned the vehicle with an x-ray system and spotted several anomalies within the vehicle including the frame rails and gas tank. A total of 90 bundles were discovered.

CBP officers took custody of the driver, 25-year-old Ricardo Marquez of Phoenix, Arizona. He was turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) HSI agents to face federal drug smuggling charges.

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.

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: Feb 03, 2021