Calexico, Calif. - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Calexico ports of entry made three significant hard narcotics seizures over the weekend worth over $1.1 million dollars.
The first seizure occurred on Friday, Sept. 17, at about 4 a.m. at the Calexico downtown port when a CBP officer conducting inspections of travelers entering the United States referred the driver of a 1997 Dodge Caravan and his passenger, both 23-year-old males, to the secondary area for further investigation.
CBP officers conducted an intensive inspection of the van that included a canine screening resulting in the discovery of 13 wrapped packages of methamphetamines concealed inside the roof, weighing 28 pounds with a street value of $294,000.
The driver and passenger, both United States citizens and residents of Borrego Springs, Calif., were arrested for the narcotic smuggling attempt. They were turned over to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents for further investigation.
The second seizure occurred on the same day at about 8 p.m. after a CBP officer referred two U. S. citizens, the driver, a 33-year-old female and her 36-year-old male passenger, occupants of a grey 1999 Infiniti for a more in-depth examination.
During an intensive examination and canine screening of the vehicle, officers discovered 34 wrapped packages of cocaine concealed inside the gas tank. The weight of the narcotics was 82 pounds with a street value of $656,000.
Both the driver and passenger, residents of Calexico, Calif., were arrested and turned over to the custody of ICE agents for further processing.
The third seizure occurred on Saturday, Sept. 18, at about 3:30 p.m. at the Calexico East port of entry, after CBP officers arrested a 39-year-old female when they discovered 28 pounds of cocaine concealed inside the vehicle she was driving.
A CBP officer conducting inspections referred the United States citizen and her blue 2000 Oldsmobile to the secondary inspection area for further investigation. A canine screening of the Oldsmobile led officers to the discovery of 11 wrapped packages of cocaine concealed inside specially built compartments in both front quarter panels of the vehicle. The narcotic has a street value of $224,000.
The driver, a resident of Coachella, Calif., was turned over to ICE agents for further investigation.
All five United States citizens were transported to the Imperial County Jail where they currently await arraignment.
CBP seized the vehicles and narcotics.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.