TUCSON, Ariz. – Customs and Border Protection officers arrested two Mexican nationals and three U.S. citizens during separate smuggling attempts this week at the Port of Nogales.
CBP officers inspecting shipment of bell peppers, discover 2,700 pounds of marijuana co-mingled with the produce.
Officers at the Mariposa Commercial facility arrested Xavier Armando Bautista-Borboa, a 38-year-old man from Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, after a CBP narcotics-detection canine alerted to the tractor-trailer he was driving on April 25. During a secondary inspection, officers located more than 2,700 pounds of marijuana, worth in excess of $1,360,000, co-mingled within a load of bell peppers.
A day later, officers at the Mariposa crossing arrested Margarita Martinez, 49, of Tucson, after finding 127 pounds of marijuana, valued at almost $64,000, in her Ford sedan. A narcotics-detection canine alerted officers to the drugs, valued at almost $64,000. Officers also arrested a southern California pair after a service-canine alerted officers to more than 168 pounds of marijuana, worth in excess of $84,000, within their Ford SUV.
“We have to be prepared for the various forms of drug smuggling techniques,” said Nogales
Port Director Guadalupe Ramirez. “In this case, through our officers efforts marijuana was found co-mingled within a load of bell peppers.”
Officers processed all drugs and vehicles involved, and referred the subjects to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.