Three suspected of smuggling 182 pounds of narcotics arrested
Three Arizona residents suspected of smuggling about 182 pounds of narcotics into the United States were arrested at the Andrade and Calexico East ports of entry Friday.
According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the first incident happened at the Andrade Port of Entry Saturday as a 31-year-old woman, of Fort Mohave, Ariz., and a 30-year-old man, of Mohave Valley, Ariz., attempted to cross into the U.S. in a Toyota Tacoma. After a CBP canine team alerted to the vehicle, officers found 83 wrapped packages of methamphetamine and a single package of heroin stashed under the pickup’s back seat, firewall, and inside the spare tire.
Officers removed 97 pounds of meth and three pounds of heroin from the vehicle. Both narcotics were estimated to be worth $288,142.
The driver and passenger were arrested for the suspected narcotics smuggling attempt.
The second incident happened at the Calexico East Port of Entry. A 25-year-old man, driving a Ford F-150 pickup, triggered the port’s imaging system that detected irregularities in the pickup’s undercarriage and inside the gas tank.
Officers searched the vehicle and discovered 73 wrapped packages of methamphetamine loaded inside the gas tank. A total of 82 pounds of narcotics was extracted, with an approximate street value of $215,046.
The driver, a Somerton resident, was arrested for the alleged smuggling attempt.
“These seizures serve to underscore our commitment to detecting and intercepting attempts to smuggle illegal narcotics into the country,” said Area Port Director David Salazar. “The keen observational skills and inspectional techniques that played a key role in these discoveries are indicative of the dedication and hard work of CBP officers in Andrade and Calexico, and I commend them for their vigilance.”
CBP officials said all three individuals were turned over to Homeland Security Investigation for further processing. They were later transported to the Imperial County Jail to await arraignment. CBP seized the narcotics and vehicles.
