U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers stationed at various ports of entry in California recently intercepted shipments of illicit narcotics weighing more than 1,500 pounds and captured 17 fugitives over a series of incidents.
In total, officers seized more than 1,000 pounds of marijuana, 470 pounds of methamphetamine, 72 pounds of cocaine, and 11 pounds of heroin, all of which carried an approximate street value of $3.3 million. The seizures occurred over a period lasting from Aug. 4 – Aug. 6.
In that same time, officers arrested 17 fugitives from justice for a number of charges, including attempted murder, aggravated assault, larceny and parole violations.
In one incident, Mexican law enforcement escorted a 33-year old male U.S. citizen named Carlos Beltran to the San Ysidro Port of Entry West Crossing. After CBP officers took custody of Beltran, they ran his fingerprint through the integrated automated fingerprint identification system (AIFIS), which indicated he was wanted by the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department for a charge of attempted murder. His bail was set at $1 million.
Beltran was subsequently turned over to U.S. Marshals to be transported back to Los Angeles to face his charges.
As with all narcotics interdictions, all vehicles and drugs were seized by CBP. Individuals involved with the incidents were turned over to Homeland Security Investigations officers for criminal processing.