ROMA, Texas—Officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (OFO) at the Roma Port of Entry arrested two men from Mexico in two separate, unrelated incidents in connection with failed drug smuggling attempts of $506,500 worth of alleged cocaine.
“Our CBP officers have stepped up to the plate and intercepted these loads of narcotics which although compact, will still not make their way into our country and possibly cause harm to our citizens,” said Port Director Andres Guerra, Roma Port of Entry.
On July 12, CBP officers working at the Roma-Miguel Aleman International Bridge encountered a 2005 blue Ford Taurus driven by a 38-year-old male Mexican citizen from Miguel Aleman, Tamaulipas, Mexico. After presenting his Mexican border-crossing card, a CBP officer referred him to secondary for further inspection and it was there that officers discovered packages of suspected narcotics hidden within the vehicle. With the use of a canine team (K9), officers removed and seized 15 packages of alleged cocaine weighing 40 pounds, which carry an estimated street value of $300,500 and seized the vehicle as well. CBP OFO arrested the adult male after a brief attempt to abscond.
The second incident occurred the same day after CBP officers discovered 11 packages of alleged cocaine concealed within a white 2005 Chevy Tracker driven by a 32-year-old male Mexican citizen from Nuevo Leon, Mexico. With the use of non-intrusive imaging technology (NII), CBP OFO seized the 26.7 pounds valued at $206,000 and seized the Chevy as well.
CBP OFO arrested both men and ultimately turned them over to the custody of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents for further investigation.