October 10, 11

NEWS / CBP in Arizona Seizes $16M in Narcotics, Nearly $300K in Cash Last Week

Tucson, Ariz. — The U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Joint Field Command-Arizona reports the seizure of more than 27,853 pounds of narcotics, valued in excess of $16.9 million, and the apprehension of 2,100 illegal immigrants and 147 inadmissible immigrants along Arizona’s border Sept. 26 – Oct. 2.

Narcotics seizures consisted of more than 27,574 pounds of marijuana, 218 pounds of cocaine, 59 pounds of methamphetamines and two pounds of heroin. CBP also intercepted eight weapons, $293,049 in illegal outbound currency and 69 vehicles used for illicit purposes.

Field Operations Weekly Highlight

On Sept. 30, CBP officers at the Douglas Port discovered 145 pounds of cocaine after a narcotics dog alerted them to a possible hidden compartment. The drugs were located when the flatbed truck was passed through an X-ray exam where officers noticed anomalies. The cocaine, worth an estimated value of $1.5 million, was seized. The 50-year-old driver of the truck was arrested and turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.

Border Patrol Weekly Highlight

On Sept. 27, Ajo Station’s All-Terrain Vehicle Unit discovered an abandoned vehicle, loaded with 1,934 pounds of marijuana, while responding to detection technology in the West Desert. Record checks revealed the vehicle was reported stolen out of Peoria. The vehicle was turned over to the Tohono O’odham Police Department while the marijuana, worth an estimated value of $967,460, was seized and turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/local/10072011.xml