TUCSON – Earlier this month, Port of Nogales U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized more than 515 pounds of methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine and fentanyl over a 5 day period. A total of 11 U.S. citizens and a Mexican national were taken into custody for their connection to the drug seizures.
In one instance, officers referred a 47-year-old female for further inspection of her Ford sedan when she attempted to enter the U.S. With the assistance of a narcotics detection dog officers discovered and removed more than 120 packages from throughout the vehicle. The packages, which were determined to be methamphetamine, weighed 123 pounds, with an estimated value of worth nearly $111,000.
Later, officers at the DeConcini Crossing referred a 38-year-old man for an additional search of his Jeep SUV as he attempted to enter the U.S. from Mexico. A narcotics detection dog directed officers to the right rear side of the vehicle, where they found 40 packages of meth, which weighed nearly 44 pounds, with an estimated value of more than $39,000.
In another incident, officers referred a 19-year-old woman for further inspection of her Chevy SUV, when she attempted to enter the U.S. from Mexico at the DeConcini Crossing. A narcotics detection dog directed officers to more than 30 packages of heroin, within the doors of the vehicle. The drugs weighed almost 87 pounds, with an estimated value of more than $989,000.
A 30-year-old Tucson woman was also caught attempting to smuggle drugs after she was referred for a secondary inspection of her Nissan sedan, as she attempted to cross back into the U.S. from Mexico. Officers found nearly 50 packages of drugs under the vehicle’s seats. Five of the packages contained almost 13 pounds of fentanyl, worth nearly $137,000. Three of the packages contained more than five pounds of heroin, worth over $61,000. And the balance of the packages were identified as nearly 41 pounds of meth, worth near $37,000.