Douglas, Ariz. - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers stopped a smuggling attempt when they seized more than 156 pounds of marijuana from a Tempe, Ariz. couple.
On Sept. 19, at about 12 p.m., CBP officers were screening traffic coming from Mexico. The officers selected a 2000 Chevy pickup truck for inspection. The Chevy was being driven by a 24-year-old woman who was accompanied by a 20-year-old man, both U.S. citizens and residents of Tempe, Ariz. With the assistance of a narcotics detection K-9 team, the CBP officers discovered all four tires had steel collars attached to the inside of the rims. The steel collars were filled with marijuana. The total weight of marijuana was more than 156 pounds with an estimated street value of $1.4 million.
CBP officers seized the vehicle and the marijuana. The Tempe couple was turned over to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for further investigation and prosecution.
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The Office of Field Operations is responsible for securing our borders at the ports of entry. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers' primary mission is anti-terrorism; they screen all people, vehicles, and goods entering the United States, while facilitating the flow of legitimate trade and travel into and out of the United States. Their mission also includes carrying out traditional border-related responsibilities, including narcotics interdiction, enforcing immigration law, protecting the nation's food supply and agriculture industry from pests and diseases, and enforcing trade laws.
While anti-terrorism is the primary mission of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the inspection process at the ports of entry associated with this mission results in impressive numbers of enforcement actions in all categories.