$180K worth of narcotics seized by CBP officers

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers arrested three individuals and seized $180,000 worth of narcotics in separate failed smuggling attempts at the Port of Nogales over the weekend.

CBP officials said Mariposa Crossing officers referred a 28-year-old U.S. permanent resident for further inspection of his Chrysler sedan last Friday afternoon. A CBP canine alerted to the vehicle’s dash area where officers discovered two packages of drugs. The drugs were identified as nearly five pounds of cocaine, valued at more than $119,000.

The second incident happened Sunday afternoon at the Dennis Deconcini Crossing. A 21-year-old Mexican national was referred for a further search of her Ford truck. A CBP canine alerted to the truck’s heater coil where officers discovered nearly 11 pounds of meth, worth almost $33,000.

The third incident happened a short time later at the Morley Pedestrian Gate. Agents referred a 16-year-old American teenager who was attempting to enter the United States for further questioning. The teen was searched and a package was found taped to his back. The package contained a pound of heroin, estimated to be worth nearly $28,000.

Officers seized the narcotics, vehicles, and arrested three individuals. Two of them were turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. The teen was turned over to the High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force.