TUCSON, Ariz. - U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, officers at the Port of Nogales seized nearly 290 pounds of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl and methamphetamine since Friday from six separate drug seizures. In addition, four U.S. citizens and two Mexican nationals have been arrested in connection with the incidents.
Early Friday morning, officers at the Dennis DeConcini Crossing referred a 20-year-old Tucson man for further investigation as he attempted to enter the U.S. from Mexico. After a CBP narcotics detection canine alerted to the presence of a scent it was trained to detect, officers removed more than 90 packages from the doors and quarter panels of his Infinity sedan. The packages were determined to contain just more than one-pound of fentanyl, worth more than $16,000 and more than 86 pounds of meth, with an estimated value of nearly $259,000. The packages also contained almost 29 pounds of heroin, worth more than $781,000 and more than 17 pounds of cocaine, worth in excess of $419,000.
Officers at the DeConcini Crossing referred a 66-year-old Tucson man for an additional search of his Ford truck as he was crossing back into the U.S. from Mexico. After an alert by a canine, officers removed more than 70 packages from the rear cabin wall and the spare tire.
A test of the contents determined that more than 19 pounds were fentanyl, worth almost $260,000. They also seized more than 68 pounds of meth, worth nearly $205,000, as well as more than 9 pounds of heroin, worth $253,000.
removed from the rear cabin wall and
spare tire of a smuggling vehicle
CBP Officers at the Mariposa Crossing pedestrian lanes referred a 15-year-old Tucson teen for further questioning when she attempted to enter the U.S. from Mexico Friday afternoon.
When conducting a search of the young woman, she voluntarily removed a single package from her underwear, which was determined to be nearly a pound of fentanyl pills. The drugs are worth more than $11,000.
Later that afternoon, officers at the Mariposa Crossing, referred a 33-year-old Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, man for further inspection. Following an alert by a CBP narcotics detection canine, to a scent it was trained to detect, in the fuel tank. After the tank was removed, officers removed 30 packages of drugs from inside, which were determined to be methamphetamine. The meth weighed nearly 56 pounds, with estimated value of almost $167,000.
A few hours later, a crosser at the Morley Pedestrian Gate was referred for further questioning as she attempted to cross back into the U.S. from Mexico. The 39-year-old Rio Rico woman voluntarily removed a package of contraband from an internal cavity, as officers began a search of her and her belongings. The package contained just more than one-half pound of fentanyl pills, worth $7,200.
Monday evening, officers at the DeConcini Crossing referred a 44-year-old Mexican national for an inspection of his Pontiac sedan. When a CBP canine alerted to the vehicle’s rear tires, officers removed them both and found nearly 15 pounds of meth, worth almost $45,000.
Officers seized the drugs and vehicles. The subjects were arrested and then turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.