October 31, 11

NEWS / CBP Seizes $14M in Narcotics, $318K in Currency Last Week in Ariz

Tucson, Ariz. —U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Joint Field Command-Arizona is reporting the seizure of more than 23,600 pounds of narcotics valued in excess of $14.2 million, and the apprehension of 2,402 illegal and 136 inadmissible immigrants at the Arizona border Oct. 17-23.

Narcotics seizures consisted of more than 23,390 pounds of marijuana, 133 pounds of cocaine, 46 pounds of methamphetamines and 31 pounds of heroin. CBP also intercepted three weapons, 200 rounds of ammunition, $318,395 in illegal outbound currency, and 33 vehicles used for illicit purposes.

Field Operations Weekly Highlight

On Oct. 22, CBP officers screening vehicles and persons during outbound inspections at the Dennis DeConcini Port referred a 59-year-old man for a secondary inspection of his Toyota SUV. After a currency and weapons detection canine alerted to the center console, officers located a non-factory compartment containing wrapped packages of U.S. currency totaling nearly $300,000. The vehicle and currency were seized. The driver was arrested and turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.

Border Patrol Weekly Highlight

The Tucson Sector began construction on a new checkpoint at the current State Route 90 location on Monday. The new checkpoint will include a two-lane operation designed to improve traffic flow, and a 65-foot canopy similar to that at the Interstate 19 checkpoint. Checkpoint operations are a vital component of the Border Patrol’s Defense in Depth strategy to hinder criminal organizations attempting to smuggle contraband further into the United States.

CBP announced the JFC-AZ in February 2011 as an organizational realignment that brings together the Tucson and Yuma Border Patrol Sectors and Air Branches, as well as the Tucson Field Office, under a unified command structure. JFC-AZ integrates CBP’s border security, commercial enforcement and trade facilitation missions to more effectively meet the unique challenges faced in Arizona. Follow us on Twitter @CBPArizona or visit the Arizona website for more information.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/local/10282011.xml