400 Pounds of Drugs Seized in Two Days at Southwest Border Crossings

Customs and Border Protection officers in San Diego and Tucson seized more than 400 pounds of methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl over the past weekend. The seizures took place at ports of entry in California and Arizona.

CBP Office of Field Operations officers assigned to the Port of Nogales on August 28 observed a sedan with two occupants approaching the Dennis DeConcini Crossing in a sedan. The officers referred the driver to a secondary inspection station, according to information obtained from CBP officials.

During the secondary inspection, the officers found 10 packages of drugs concealed in the rear rocker panels of the vehicle. The officers weighed and tested the drugs and identified them as cocaine weighing approximately 31 pounds, officials reported. The officers arrested the two 18-year-old males — one U.S. citizen and one Mexican national.

Later that day, DeConcini Crossing officers observed a pickup truck approaching from Mexico for entry into the U.S. The officer referred the driver, a 29-year-old U.S. citizen, to a secondary inspection station, officials stated. The officers searched the truck and found eight packages of drugs hidden in hollowed pieces of wood. The drugs tested positive for cocaine. Officers reported the packages weighed 19 pounds.

Officers working the same border crossing on Saturday observed a man approaching from Mexico in a pickup truck. The officer referred the driver, a 24-year-old U.S. citizen, to the secondary inspection area where a K-9 alerted to an odor it is trained to detect. A search of the truck led officers to find nine packages of drugs inside the rear doors of the truck. The officers reported the packages weighed about 12 pounds and were filled with heroin (eight pounds) and methamphetamine (four pounds).

On Sunday, another driver approached the DeConcini Crossing for entry into the U.S. The officer referred the driver to a secondary inspection area where they found three packages of drugs on the driver’s person and inside a pair of socks packed in a backpack. In total, the officers found three pounds of fentanyl pills, officials reported. The officers arrested the 24-year-old U.S. citizen male.

Later that day, a 61-year-old male U.S. citizen attempted entry into the U.S. at the same crossing. During a search of the vehicle in the secondary inspection area, the officers found a wooden table in the bed of the truck. Smugglers hid 70 pounds of methamphetamine inside the legs of the table, the report continued.

Also on Sunday, a 17-year-old U.S. citizen female and a 22-year-old U.S. citizen female attempted to enter the U.S. in separate incidents. The first female attempted entry through the pedestrian crossing. Officers found she had 165 grams of fentanyl pills “concealed inside her person,” CBP officials stated. The second woman crossed in a sedan. A search of her vehicle led to the discovery of 33 pounds of methamphetamine hidden inside the gas tank.

Finally, officers assigned to the San Ysidro Port of Entry on Monday observed a 2004 black Chrysler Sebring approaching for inspection. During the initial interview, officers noted discrepancies with the vehicle and opened the trunk. Inside the officer found multiple packages inside two black bags.

The officer radioed for assistance and a detailed search of the bags led to the discovery of 218 packages of drugs. Officers report 216 packages contained methamphetamine and the two remaining packages were filled with fentanyl. Officials estimated the value of these drugs to be more than $767,000.

Between the two ports of entry, officers seized more than 400 pounds of methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin. The reports indicated the combined value of the drug seizures over the weekend exceeded $1.767 million.

Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior news contributor for the Breitbart Texas-Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday-morning talk show. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Facebook.