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  4. Spare Tire Loaded with Hard Drugs Seized at Border Patrol Checkpoint

Spare Tire Loaded with Hard Drugs Seized at Border Patrol Checkpoint

Release Date
Tue, 08/25/2020

TUCSON, Ariz. – U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested a Phoenix man after finding a variety of drugs inside his vehicle’s spare tire outside of Gila Bend early Monday.  

Just after midnight, Tucson Sector agents at the state Route 85 immigration checkpoint referred a Ford Explorer SUV for a secondary inspection. In the subsequent search, agents discovered numerous packages of suspected narcotics concealed within the spare tire.

Agents seized $600,000 worth of hard drugs inside of a spare tire
Agents seized $600,000 worth of hard drugs
inside of a spare tire

Testing later confirmed the packages, weighing more than 70 pounds, contained an assortment of meth, fentanyl, cocaine and heroin with a combined street value of more than $600,000.

Agents arrested the 39 year-old driver. He and the contraband were turned over to ICE Homeland Security Investigations for prosecution.

For more details regarding this news release, contact the Tucson Sector Public Affairs Office at tca-pao@cbp.dhs.gov or by phone at 520-748-3210. Tucson Sector is also LiveU capable. Contact us to schedule an interview.

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 official ports of entry. CBP is charged with securing the borders of the United States while enforcing hundreds of laws and facilitating lawful trade and travel.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021