U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers arrested a Mexican national and a Somerton, Ariz. woman Tuesday morning in connection to two separate failed smuggling attempts through Arizona’s Port of San Luis.
Early Tuesday morning, officers referred an 18-year-old Somerton woman for further inspection of her KIA sedan when she attempted to enter the U.S. from Mexico. A CBP canine alerted to an odor it was trained to detect, prompting a further search of the gas tank.
Inside, officers found more than 43 pounds of methamphetamine, with an estimated value of more than $130,000.
A few hours later, a 24-year-old legal permanent resident alien male was sent to further search of his Saturn SUV by officers. Like the earlier incident, a CBP canine alerted to an odor it was trained to detect, this time within the spare tire and spare tire cargo area. The drugs weighed nearly 53 pounds, with an estimated value of almost $159,000.
CBP officers arrested both subjects for narcotics smuggling and seized the vehicles and drugs. Officers turned both subjects over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.