TUCSON – A Tucson mother and daughter are in custody after they were caught trying to smuggle drugs on their bodies into the U.S. last week. In a separate incident a Mesa woman was arrested for attempting to smuggle over a million dollars worth of drugs placed throughout her vehicle.
Officers referred the 60-year-old Tucson woman and her 40-year-old daughter for an additional search as they attempted to enter the U.S. from Mexico. A search of the daughter led to the discovery of two packages of drugs concealed around her upper torso. A subsequent search of the mother revealed five packages of drugs around her waist. The drugs around the mother were determined to be more than four pounds of fentanyl, which is worth nearly $50,000. The drugs being carried by the daughter were determined to be more than two pounds of meth, worth $7,000 as well as a small amount of heroin, worth more than $1,500.
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Later, officers at the Mariposa Crossing selected a 56-year-old Mesa woman for a further search of her Honda sedan as she attempted to re-enter the U.S. from Mexico. A cursory search of the vehicle, led to the discovery of a combination of fentanyl, heroin and meth throughout the vehicle. The drugs were identified as almost 121 pounds of heroin, worth nearly $3.26 million. Nearly 65 pounds of meth and just more than five pounds of fentanyl were also removed. The meth has an estimated value of nearly $194K while the fentanyl was valued at $69,000.
Officers seized the drugs and vehicles. The subjects were arrested and then turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.