U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized 125 pounds of heroin and fentanyl with an estimated street value of $2.6 million during a vehicle inspection at the Arizona border Saturday.
The major seizure occurred when a 37-year-old Mexican national attempted to enter the United States through the Mariposa International crossing at Nogales, Arizona. During a search of the vehicle, CBP officers located approximately 74 pounds of heroin and 50 pounds of fentanyl, estimated to have a combined street value of $2.6 million, according to a media release.
The Port of Nogales is experiencing major seizures to include a record-breaking bust in February when the Mariposa entry seized 254 pounds of fentanyl and 395 pounds of methamphetamine during a regular inspection of an 18-wheeler. The seizure of fentanyl was the largest ever recorded at a U.S. port of entry.
In late February, CBP officers seized approximately 350 pounds of hard drugs consisting of methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl worth $6.1 million at the Dennis DeConcini Crossing.
In March, officers seized approximately 320 pounds of methamphetamine, 32 pounds of marijuana along with heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine worth $1.3 million during four vehicle inspections.
Robert Arce is a retired Phoenix Police detective with extensive experience working Mexican organized crime and street gangs. Arce has worked in the Balkans, Iraq, Haiti, and recently completed a three-year assignment in Monterrey, Mexico, working out of the Consulate for the United States Department of State, International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Program, where he was the Regional Program Manager for Northeast Mexico (Coahuila, Tamaulipas, Nuevo Leon, Durango, San Luis Potosi, Zacatecas.) You can follow him on Twitter. He can be reached at robertrarce@gmail.com.
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