TUCSON – Over the weekend, 2 Mexican nationals and four U.S. citizens were arrested in separate attempts to smuggle drugs and weapons through Arizona Ports of Entry.
In one instance on Friday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Port of Lukeville referred a 60-year-old Fort Mojave, Arizona, man for additional inspection of his Chevy SUV, as he attempted to enter the U.S. through the port. A search of his vehicle led to the discovery of a cache of 8 loaded firearms, as well as nearly 2,000 rounds of assorted ammunition. Officers also recovered just more than one-pound of marijuana, worth $350.
Also on Friday, Port of Lukeville officers referred a 29-year-old male and his 22-year-old passenger, both residents of Phoenix, for an additional search of his Dodge sedan as they attempted to enter the U.S. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), after a drug sniffing dog alerted to a scent it is trained to detect, the search led to the discovery of nearly 50 packages hidden inside the gas tank. The contents were determined to be 65 pounds of meth, worth more than $58,000.
The on Saturday morning, Port of Douglas officers referred a 21-year-old Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico, man for an additional search of his Ford truck as he attempted to enter the U.S. through the port. A positive alert by a CBP canine led to the removal of more than 90 packages of drugs from under the hood and back wall of the trucks’ cab. They were identified as 124 pounds of marijuana, worth more than $37,000.
Officers at the Dennis DeConcini Crossing referred a 33-year-old Mexican female of Phoenix, for an additional search of her Nissan SUV, on Sunday morning. The search led to the seizure of nearly 132 pounds of meth from throughout the SUV, worth more than $118,000.