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  4. Nogales CBP Officers Seize $424,000 of Hard Drugs

Nogales CBP Officers Seize $424,000 of Hard Drugs

Release Date
Wed, 04/02/2014

NOGALES, Ariz. — Three recent seizures of methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine at the Port of Nogales include nearly 32 pounds of drugs worth more than $424,000.

Sunday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Dennis DeConcini crossing referred Cristian Abraham Avechuco-Romero, 19, of Tucson for additional inspection of his Chevrolet truck. A CBP narcotic detection canine alerted to the vehicle’s battery compartment where officers found two packages of methamphetamine weighing more than five pounds and worth an estimated $81,800.

Officers at the Mariposa crossing Monday referred Fernando Cejudo-Nevarez, 40, of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, for an additional search of her Chrysler van. After a service canine alerted to possible drugs within the rear quarter panels, officers found 10 packages of methamphetamine, weighing in excess of 10.6 pounds and valued at more than $165,000.

Wednesday, Andres Gamez-Garcia, 70, of Cajeme, Sonora, Mexico, was referred for further inspection of his Ford truck when he entered the DeConcini Port. A CBP canine team led officers to 14 packages of heroin and cocaine. Six packages contained almost seven pounds of heroin worth more than $94,500; eight packages held more than nine pounds of cocaine worth nearly $83,000.

The vehicles and drugs were seized. All subjects were referred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations.

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