US CBP Officers Stop Multiple Hard Narcotic Smuggling Attempts

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at El Paso area ports of entry intercepted 31 pounds of methamphetamine and 41 pounds of cocaine over the weekend.

“CBP officers employ a variety of tools and techniques in their efforts to root out drug smugglers,” said CBP El Paso Director of Field Operations Hector A. Mancha. “Their continued hard work prevented several significant loads from making it to their intended destinations.”

On Oct. 21, CBP officers working at the Paso Del Norte border crossing intercepted a combined 41 pounds of cocaine on two separate unrelated incidents.

The first interception occurred shortly after 7:00 a.m. when a 58-year-old male Mexican citizen arrived from Mexico via the vehicle lanes. CBP officers conducting pre-primary inspections searched the vehicle and detected anomalies. With the aid of a CBP canine and non-intrusive (x-ray) inspection, CBP officers located multiple cocaine-filled bundles within the vehicle with a combined weight of 19.15 pounds.

The second interception occurred shortly after 1:00 p.m. when a 23-year-old male Mexican citizen arrived from Mexico via the vehicle lanes. The individual was referred for a secondary CBP canine and non-intrusive inspection leading CBP officers to locate multiple bundles hidden within the vehicle. The seizure yielded 22.26 pounds of cocaine.

On Oct. 24, CBP officers working at the Ysleta border crossing intercepted 31.26 pounds of methamphetamine from a 29-year-old female U.S. citizen who arrived from Mexico via the vehicle lanes. The individual was referred for a secondary CBP canine and non-intrusive inspection leading CBP officers to locate multiple bundles hidden within the vehicle.

The subjects arrested by CBP officers were turned over to Homeland Security Investigations special agents or state and local authorities for prosecution.