TUCSON, Ariz. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Raul Hector Castro Port in Douglas, Arizona, detained a Mexican national Monday evening after finding him in possession of more than 350 pounds of marijuana.
Officers referred a 24-year-old man driving a Toyota SUV for a secondary inspection. During the inspection, a CBP narcotics-detection canine’s alert led to the discovery of multiple packages of marijuana hidden in the vehicle’s rear cargo area and under the back seats.
Officers seized the drugs, worth more than $178,000, and vehicle. After arresting the subject for drug smuggling, officers turned him 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 for 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.