$800K in Drugs Seized by Feds at Arizona Border

Six Mexican nationals and two U.S. citizens were arrested in connection with a failed attempt to smuggle nearly $800K worth of drugs across the Arizona border with Mexico.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers working the Dennis DeConcini crossing on September 22, were alerted to the presence of drugs by a K-9 officer, according to information obtained this week from CBP officials by Breitbart Texas. A 22-year-old man from Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico was attempting to cross the border from Mexico in a Volkswagen sedan.

Officers directed the man to a secondary inspection station where a search revealed packages containing cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine. Officers estimated the value of the shipment to be $346,600, the CBP stated.

Later that day, another K-9 alert led the CBP officers to search a Ford SUV that was being driven by a 40-year-old Mexican national from Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. After searching the SUV, officers found packages of cocaine and meth estimated to be worth $55,000.

Elsewhere on the Arizona border, CBP officers at the Mariposa crossing referred a Jeep SUV to a secondary inspection station. A search of the vehicle did not reveal any drugs. Agents searched the passengers and found they were smuggling meth under their clothing. The 19-year-old male who was driving the Jeep and his 22-year-old female passenger were carrying more than three pounds of meth under their clothing. The man and the woman were both Mexican nationals from Nogales, Mexico. The meth being smuggled was estimated to be worth nearly $10,000.

Three more drug smuggling attempts were thwarted the day before, officials reported this week. On Sept 21, a K-9 officer at the DeConcini crossing alerted when a Buick sedan attempted to cross from Mexico. The Buick was being driven by a 19-year-old Mexican national from Nogales, Mexico. A search of the Buick uncovered bundles of methamphetamine. The five pounds of meth was estimated to be worth $15,000.

Officers working the Morley crossing on September 20, stopped an American citizen from Phoenix as she attempted to re-enter the U.S. from Mexico using the pedestrian walkway. A body cavity search of the 25-year-old woman resulted in the discovery of a pound of meth estimated to be worth about $3,000. While this was happening, officers at the DeConcini crossing inspected the vehicle of another Arizona woman. Agents searched her Ford van and discovered packages of heroin and meth. The drugs weighed nearly 50 pounds and was estimated to be worth $364,000. The 27-year-old woman from Nogales, Arizona, was arrested.

All of the suspects were arrested and turned over to Homeland Security Investigations for possible prosecution. The vehicles and drugs were seized as well.

In total, the CBP officers seized nearly $796,000 worth of drugs in a three day period.

Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for Breitbart Texas. He is a founding member of the Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX.