October 19, 09

NEWS / Nogales CBP Officers Seize 19 Pounds of Cocaine, $16,000 in U.S. Currency

Nogales, Ariz. - U. S. Customs and Border Protection officers conducting routine inspections of vehicles and travelers entering and leaving the United States seized more than 19 pounds of cocaine and $16,000 in undeclared currency in two separate events yesterday.


At about 11 a.m. yesterday, officers at the Dennis DeConcini port of entry selected a 33-year-old man coming into the United States for an inspection based on his behavior during routine questioning. During the exam, CBP officers noticed discrepancies in the vehicle and called for a narcotics detector dog, who alerted to the presence of narcotics odor.


Officers continued their search of the vehicle and discovered eight packages of cocaine hidden in the dash. The officers seized the cocaine (weighing more than 19 pounds) and vehicle, and turned the driver over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for further investigation.


Earlier in the day, at about 8 a.m., CBP officers working the Mariposa port of entry were conducting inspections of vehicles departing the United States. They selected a 2001 GMC pickup and its occupants for an intensive inspection. During the inspection, the officers discovered more than $16,000 in undeclared currency.


The money was seized for violation of currency reporting requirements and the occupants, legal permanent residents from Mexico living in Oregon, were released.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/10162009_5.xml