U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents last week seized more than $2 million worth of illicit narcotics over separate incidents.
The first incident occurred on Jan. 18 as officers stationed at the Port of Hidalgo, Texas, encountered a white 2012 Ford Mustang driven by a 27-year-old U.S. citizen, which was referred for a secondary inspection. After conducting a thorough sweep of the vehicle, officers discovered approximately 100 pounds of liquid methamphetamine stored inside iced tea bottles in the trunk. The liquid methamphetamine carried an approximate street value of $2 million.
CBP’s Office of Field Operations (OFO) seized the narcotics and the vehicle, along with turning the driver over to CBP’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) unit for criminal processing.
“Our CBP officers continue to encounter unique smuggling techniques; it is astounding to see what smuggling organizations would allegedly do to attempt to introduce illegal narcotics into our country,” said Efrain Solis, port director of the Hidalgo, Pharr, Anzalduas Port of Entry. “I commend our CBP officers for their continued diligence in carrying out the CBP mission. These dangerous drugs will not make it into the U.S.”
On Jan. 17, officers with the Tucson Sector Border Patrol, in Arizona, along with Pima County Sheriff deputies, seized more than 7.5 pounds of heroin during a routine traffic stop.
The incident occurred as the officers requested, and were given consent to, a search of the vehicle by the driver. From there, the officers discovered a stash of heroin packets within an ice chest in the vehicle’s cargo area. The driver was then arrested and transported to the Pima County Detention Facility on charges of possession and transportation of dangerous drugs. The narcotics carried an approximate street value of $131,000.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of the nation’s borders at and between the official ports of entry.