September 30, 09

NEWS / CBP Officers in El Paso Find Marijuana Behind Wall of Empty Trailer

El Paso, Texas - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the Bridge of the Americas commercial cargo facility in El Paso seized 951 pounds of marijuana in one bust Monday.


“This is an outstanding seizure; the dedication and vigilance on the part of our frontline officers are what make these seizures possible,” said William Molaski, CBP El Paso port director.

The seizure was made at approximately 8:10 a.m. when a 1985 Peterbilt tractor hauling an empty trailer entered the BOTA cargo facility from Mexico. CBP officers selected the vehicle for a gamma-ray exam and identified several anomalies in the appearance of the trailer. The vehicle was moved to the inspection dock where a CBP drug sniffing dog searched the trailer and alerted to the front wall.


CBP officers discovered a false wall at the front of the trailer and found numerous wrapped bundles hidden inside. CBP officers removed a total of 871 marijuana-filled bundles from the shipment. The seized marijuana weighed 951 pounds. No arrests were made and the investigation is continuing.


While anti-terrorism is the primary mission of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the inspection process at the ports of entry associated with this mission results in impressive numbers of enforcement actions in all categories.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/09292009_3.xml