Nogales CBP Officers Seize over $390K in Drugs

TUCSON, Ariz. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at Arizona’s Port of Nogales arrested two Mexican men yesterday for attempting to smuggle a combined 83 pounds of hard drugs, worth more than $390,000.

Officers referred a 29-year-old Mexican man for a secondary inspection of his Ford truck when he applied for entry into the country at the Dennis DeConcini crossing. During the inspection, a CBP narcotics-detection canine helped officers locate a combined 43 packages consisting of 38 pounds of methamphetamine, worth approximately $114,000, and 17 pounds of cocaine worth in excess of $192,500.

A few hours later, officers referred a 31-year-old Mexican man for a secondary search of his Nissan sedan. A CBP canine helped officers locate a false compartment in the vehicle’s floor, which held nearly 28 pounds of meth worth almost $84,000.

Officers seized the drugs and vehicles involved, and turned both subjects over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.