NOGALES, Ariz. - A 17-year-old female Nogales, Sonora, Mexico resident was arrested yesterday for attempting to smuggle more than a pound of methamphetamine in her undergarments when she attempted to cross through the Port of Nogales.
Customs and Border Protection officers selected the teen for an additional inspection when she applied for admission into the U.S. through the Morley pedestrian crossing. During inspection, officers discovered a package of meth in her crotch area.
The drugs, worth nearly $18,000 were seized, while the teen was referred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
Individuals arrested may be charged by complaint, the method by which a person is charged with criminal activity, which raises no inference of 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 supply and agriculture industry from pests and diseases.