SAN LUIS, Ariz. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Area Port of San Luis remain busy with enforcement activity stopping two smuggling attempts involving hard-narcotics.
The first incident occurred on Wednesday January 29, at approximately 5:30 a.m., when CBP officers encountered a
23-year-old male driving a Chevrolet sedan applying for entry from Mexico. The driver, a United States citizen, was referred for further examination.
In the secondary inspection area, CBP officers used non-intrusive technology to screen the vehicle revealing anomalies within the floor of the sedan. A CBP canine also alerted to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle.
CBP officers searched the vehicle and discovered twelve (12) packages concealed beneath the carpet on the floor of the sedan. The packages contained over 117 pounds of methamphetamine.
The second seizure occurred on Thursday January 30, at approximately 11:30 p.m., when CBP officers encountered a 42-year-old male driving a Ford truck applying for entry from Mexico. The driver, a Mexican citizen and Legal Permanent Resident, was referred for further examination after a CBP canine alerted to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle.
In the secondary inspection area, CBP officers then used non-intrusive technology to screen the vehicle revealing anomalies within a speaker box in the rear of the truck.
During an extensive search of the vehicle, CBP officers discovered and extracted 25 packages from the speaker box. The packages contained approximately 69 pounds of cocaine.
The seized narcotics had a combined estimated street value of $805,359.
“Our enforcement posture and multiple layers of inspection attributed to these significant seizures and ultimately prevented these dangerous drugs from entering our communities,” stated Chris Leon, Area Port Director for San Luis.
Officers seized the drugs and vehicles. The drivers were turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
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 supply and agriculture industry from pests and diseases.
