EL PASO, Texas -- U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations officers working at the El Paso port of entry seized 399 pounds of marijuana and 9.95 pounds of cocaine in five different seizures Tuesday. They also apprehended four NCIC fugitives and made three seizures of counterfeit goods during a busy 24-hour period.
"Homeland security is our primary mission however the inspections we conduct to support that mission will frequently uncover other violations,” said Beverly Good, CBP El Paso Port Director. “CBP officers are focused, vigilant and hard at work keeping our nation safe.”
The largest seizure of the day occurred at the Ysleta international crossing when CBP officers confiscated 114 pounds of marijuana from a border crosser. The bust was made when a 2001 Chevrolet Malibu entered the port from Mexico. A CBP officer at the primary inspection booth noted bundles in the quarter panel of the car and sent the vehicle to the secondary inspection area for further review. An x-ray scan identified anomalies in multiple locations. CBP officers removed 101 marijuana-filled bundles from the bumpers, quarter panels and air filter of the car.
CBP officers took custody of the driver, a 24-year-old female Mexican citizen. She was turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement HSI special agents to face charges associated with the failed drug smuggling attempt.
While anti-terrorism is the primary mission of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the inspection process at the ports of entry associated with this mission results in impressive numbers of enforcement actions in all categories.