Nogales CBP officers seize $4.2M worth of hard drugs
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at Port of Nogales seized over 314 pounds of hard drugs this past weekend. Officers said four U.S. citizens and a Mexican national are in custody in suspicion of their connection to the drug seizures.
According to officers at Mariposa Crossing, a 19-year-old Tucson man was referred for further inspection of his Jeep SUV as he attempted to enter the U.S. from Mexico on Friday. After a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) canine alerted to a scent from the vehicle, officers removed more than 90 packages of methamphetamine weighing 107 pounds, and worth nearly $320,000 form the trunk. Officers said a search of the man revealed a small bag of personal use cocaine that was hidden inside his shoe.
That same day officers at Morley Pedestrian Crossing referred a 60-year-old Tucson woman and her 40-year-old daughter for an additional search as they attempted to enter the U.S. from Mexico. Officers said a search of the daughter led to the discovery of two packages of drugs concealed around her upper torso. A search of the mother revealed five bags of drugs around her waist. According to officers, the drugs around the mother were determined to be more than four pounds of fentanyl, worth $50,000 and the drugs being carried by the daughter were determined to be more than two pounds of methamphetamine, worth $7,000 as well as a small amount of heroin, worth $1,500.
On Saturday morning, officers at the Mariposa Crossing referred a 31-year-old Mexican woman for further inspection of her Toyota sedan when she attempted to enter the U.S. from Mexico. Officers state a canine alerted officers to the discovery of a combined load of hard drugs inside the fuel tank. More than 11 pounds of heroin, worth nearly $305,000 and a minimal amount of fentanyl were seized.
That afternoon, officers at the Mariposa Crossing said a 56-year-old Mesa woman for a further search of her Honda sedan as she attempted to re-enter the U.S. from Mexico. Officers said a search of her vehicle led to the discovery of a combination of fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine throughout the car. Officers state the drugs were identified as almost 121 pounds of heroin, worth nearly $3.26M. Approximately 65 pounds of methamphetamine and more than five pounds of fentanyl were also removed, officers said. The methamphetamine has an estimated value of nearly $194k, and the fentanyl was valued at $69,000.
Officers seized the drugs and vehicles. The subjects were arrested and then turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
