Customs and Border Protection officers at Arizona’s Port of Nogales searched a 24-year-old Tucson man’s vehicle early today and found more than 51 pounds of methamphetamine, valued at almost $154,000.
When the man applied for entry into the United States through the port’s DeConcini crossing, officers referred him for a secondary inspection of his Chevrolet Impala. During the inspection, a CBP narcotics-detection canine helped officers locate 48 packages of meth in the vehicle’s rear bumper, quarter panels, firewall, and roof.
Officers arrested the man for narcotics smuggling and turned him over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. CBP officers also seized the vehicle and drugs. “CBP officers are trained and skilled at what they do to prevent drugs from entering the country as proven in this case,” said Efrain Solis, CBP Nogales Port Director. “While smugglers will continue to make these attempts, they will not thwart CBP’s efforts. They need to know they will be caught.”