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  4. Nogales CBP Officers Seize $595K in Hard Drugs

Nogales CBP Officers Seize $595K in Hard Drugs

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TUCSON, Ariz. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at Arizona’s Port of Nogales arrested two people in separate incidents Monday afternoon for attempting to smuggle a combined $595,000 worth of heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine.

Officers discovered 40 pounds of meth within the spare tire of a smuggling vehicle
Officers discovered 40 pounds of meth
within the spare tire of a smuggling
vehicle

Officers working at the Dennis DeConcini crossing referred a 44-year-old Mexican man for a secondary inspection of his Dodge pickup when he tried to enter the country. During the inspection, a CBP narcotics-detection canine helped officers find nearly 40 pounds of meth, worth approximately $115,000, in the vehicle’s spare tire.

Shortly after the first incident, officers at the same crossing referred a 36-year-old Mexican man for an additional search of his Ford SUV. Using a CBP narcotics-detection canine, officers located more than $480,000 worth of cocaine and heroin concealed in the vehicle’s spare tire compartment.

Officers arrested the drivers for narcotics smuggling and seized the vehicles and contraband. The suspects were turned over 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.

Tags: 
Port Security
, 
Smuggling
, 
Archive Media Releases
  • Last Modified: February 3, 2021