Nogales CBP Officers Seize $658K in Cocaine, Meth

Officers seized packages of meth within the firewall and quarter panels

TUCSON, Ariz. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at Arizona’s Port of Nogales arrested two Mexican nationals and two U.S. citizens during recent smuggling attempts involving approximately $658,000 worth of cocaine and methamphetamine.

Officers referred a 27-year-old Mexican man and an 18-year-old Casa Grande, Arizona, woman for further inspection of his 2003 Ford SUV when they attempted to enter the U.S. through the Dennis DeConcini crossing early on Aug. 18. During the inspection, CBP officers discovered more than 40 pounds of meth, worth almost $122,000, in the vehicle’s quarter panels and firewall.

That afternoon, officers at the Mariposa crossing referred a 17-year-old Tucson teen for a secondary search of the 2009 Volkswagen SUV she was driving when she attempted to enter the U.S. An alert by a CBP canine led to the discovery of almost 42 pounds of meth, worth close to $126,000, in the rear quarter panels.

Midday Monday, a 63-year-old Mexican woman was referred for an additional inspection of her 2012 Nissan sedan at the DeConcini crossing. A canine alerted to the vehicle’s dash, where officers found more than 36 pounds of cocaine worth in excess of $410,000.

The four subjects were arrested for narcotics smuggling and the vehicles, along with the drugs, were seized.

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