TUCSON, Ariz. –U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, Port of San Luis officers arrested three U.S. citizens and one Mexican national on separate inbound and outbound smuggling attempts yesterday.
On Wednesday, CBP officers referred a 43-year-old woman for additional inspection of her Ford SUV as she attempted to enter the U.S. Following a positive alert by a CBP narcotics detection canine to a scent it is trained to detect, the search led to the discovery of 20 packages of drugs hidden within in a floor compartment of the SUV. The drugs were determined to be more than 49 pounds of cocaine, with an estimated street value of $536,000.
On the same day, in another incident, officers referred a 21-year-old Yuma resident for a search as she attempted to enter the U.S. through the pedestrian lane. The search led CBP officers to detect nearly one pound of methamphetamine concealed in her brassiere. The street value of the meth was determined to be approximately $1,000.
About one hour later, CBP officers working the southbound vehicle lane encountered two men, a 19-year-old San Diego, California resident and a 21-year-old from San Luis, Sonora, Rio Colorado, Sonora, Mexico in a Dodge truck. Officers searched the vehicle and located 300 ammunition rounds, mostly .50 caliber, concealed throughout the truck such as the air filter housing.
Officers seized the drugs and vehicles, the subjects were arrested and subsequently turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, respectively.