Officers seize $685K of cocaine, meth at Arizona’s Port of Nogales

U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) officers recently arrested at Arizona’s Port of Nogales two Mexican nationals and two U.S. citizens attempting to smuggle approximately $685,000 worth of cocaine and methamphetamine.

Early on Aug. 18, officers referred a 27-year-old Mexican man and an 18-year-old Casa Grande, Arizona, woman in a 2003 Ford SUV for further inspection when they attempted to enter the United States through the Dennis DeConcini crossing. CBP officers discovered more than 40 pounds of meth, worth almost $122,000, in the vehicle’s quarter panels and firewall during the inspection.

Later that same day, officers at the Mariposa crossing referred a 17-year-old Tucson teen for a secondary search of the 2009 Volkswagen SUV in which she was attempting to enter the United States. A CBP canine alerted to the presence of almost 42 pounds of meth, worth nearly $126,000, in the rear quarter panels.

On Aug. 21 at the DeConcini crossing, officers referred a 63-year-old Mexican woman for an additional inspection of her 2012 Nissan sedan. A canine alerted officers to the vehicle’s dash where more than 36 pounds of cocaine, worth more than $410,000, was found.

The four suspects were placed under arrest for narcotics smuggling, and the drugs, as well as the vehicles, were seized.