TUCSON, Ariz. – A 24-year-old woman was arrested by U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations officers at Arizona’s Port of Lukeville Monday, for attempting to smuggle 53 pounds of methamphetamine into the U.S. from Mexico.
Officers referred the Caborca, Sonora resident for a secondary inspection of her Nissan sedan as she applied to enter the United States Monday night. A CBP narcotics detection canine alerted to an odor it is trained to detect, leading officers to several packages of methamphetamine in the vehicle’s rocker panels. The drugs have a street value of nearly $48,000.
Officers arrested the woman and turned her over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. The drugs and vehicle were seized.
“I am incredibly proud of our officers,” said Lukeville Port Director Peter Bachelier. “They remain focused on their mission of protecting our nation’s borders.”
Federal law allows officers to charge individuals by complaint, a method that allows 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.
