TUCSON, Ariz. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, officers arrested 2 U.S. citizens and a Mexican national for separate alleged attempts to smuggle more than 194 pounds of methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin and cocaine through the Port of San Luis over the weekend.
from the doors and quarter panels of
the smuggling vehicle
Officers referred a 23-year-old Yuma resident for additional inspection of his Honda sedan as he attempted to enter the U.S. early Friday morning. After a CBP narcotics detection canine alerted to a scent it was trained to detect coming from the vehicle’s doors and quarter panels, a search led to the discovery of 80 packages of meth that weighed more than 86 pounds, and have an estimated value of more than $259,000.
Saturday morning, officers referred a 20-year-old Mesa woman for a further search of her Honda sedan as she attempted to enter the U.S. A CBP canine alerted officers to the presence of drugs in the trunk as well as the rear quarter panels. More than 70 packages of drugs were removed nearly 2 pounds of fentanyl, worth $21,000 as well as more than 23 pounds of meth, with a value of more than $70,000.
Later that evening, officers referred a 30-year-old Mexican female for an additional inspection of her Honda van, when she attempted to enter the U.S. A canine alert led officers to 60 packages of drugs hidden throughout the van.
The drugs were identified as nearly 55 pounds of meth, worth nearly $164,000; nearly 26 pounds of cocaine, worth over $620,000: and more than 2-and-a-half pounds of heroin, worth more than $68,000.
Officers seized the drugs and the vehicles, while the subjects were arrested and then turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.