BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Rainbow Bridge encountered two Canadian citizens smuggling illegal narcotics over the border on April 28.
by CBP canine team.
CBP officers encountered a pair of travelers at the Rainbow Bridge after they claimed to make a wrong turn on the bridge. CBP officers referred the two men, Canadian nationals, for secondary inspection due to their suspicious behavior. A CBP canine team arrived to search the vehicle, and the dog quickly alerted to the car’s dash area.
CBP officers disassembled the dashboard, finding a sack containing three small bags with a rocky white substance, another bag with a white powder, and a bag with a leafy green substance. Officers also found a digital scale hidden behind the dash, containing residue of a powdered white substance. Subsequent testing revealed the rocky substance as cocaine, the white powder as a compound used to cut cocaine for distribution, and the green substance as marijuana.
“CBP officers are trained to spot traveler characteristics or behaviors that indicate the need for a second, closer look,” said Port Director Cary Frieling. “In this case, the closer look revealed hidden narcotics. Preventing the flow of illegal drugs into the U.S. continues to be one of our top priorities.”
The subjects were turned over to the Niagara Falls Police Department for further processing.