TUCSON, Ariz. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations officers arrested a Yuma resident for attempting to smuggle more than 61 pounds of fentanyl through the Port of San Luis September 7.
On Saturday, CBP officers referred a 25-year-old Mexican national for additional questioning as he attempted to enter the U.S. in a Dodge SUV. A CBP narcotics detection canine alerted to an odor it is trained to detect, leading officers to 20 packages of fentanyl in the vehicle’s front fenders. The drugs have a street value of nearly $700,000.
Officers arrested the man and turned him over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. The drugs and vehicle were seized.
“Fentanyl is a tremendously dangerous drug, “said San Luis Area Port Director John A. Schwamm. “I applaud the efforts of our CBP Officers for preventing such a significant amount of this narcotic from entering our communities.”
Federal law allows officers to charge individuals by complaint, a method that allows the filing of charges for criminal activity without inferring guilt. An individual is presumed innocent unless and until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
CBP's Office of Field Operations is the primary organization within Homeland Security tasked with an anti-terrorism mission at our nation’s ports. CBP officers screen all people, vehicles and goods entering the United States while facilitating the flow of legitimate trade and travel. Their mission also includes carrying out border-related duties, including narcotics interdiction, enforcing immigration and trade laws, and protecting the nation's food and agriculture industry from pests and diseases.
