C.B.P. News Release

CBP Seizes Drugs Valued at $3.4 Million, Apprehends 15 Fugitives during Fourth of July Weekend

(Monday, July 06, 2009)

San Diego – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at ports of entry along the California/ Mexico border seized more than a ton of narcotics with a street value of almost $3.4 million, and captured 15 fugitives within the last four days.

CBP officers intercepted 2,262 pounds of narcotics that included marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin in 25 separate incidents from 6 a.m. Thursday through 6 a.m. Monday.

The largest interception occurred at about 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 5, at the Calexico East port of entry when a 49-year-old female U.S. citizen driving a grey 2002 Ford F-250 pick-up truck pulling a trailer was referred to the vehicle secondary examination for further examination.

During the secondary examination, a detector dog and x-ray equipment led officers to the discovery of 33 wrapped packages of marijuana concealed in the rear bed of the pick-up truck and in a luggage box located on top of the trailer. Further search of the vehicle also revealed two small bags of marijuana and a smoking pipe hidden behind the rear seat of the pick-up truck. The total weight of the narcotics was 418 pounds.

CBP officers stopped the second largest smuggling attempt the morning of July 4. At about 7:30 a.m., a CBP officer roving through the lanes of traffic at the San Ysidro port of entry received an alert from his detector dog, reacting to a 2005 Nissan Armada. CBP officers moved the vehicle out of traffic for a more thorough inspection.

CBP officers found 99 packages of marijuana hidden throughout the vehicle: 11 from the front left fender, another 11 from the front right fender, 34 from under the vehicle’s dashboard, 13 from the left rear quarter panel, and 30 from the right rear quarter panel. All together, the packages weighed about 315 pounds. Queries to law enforcement databases showed the vehicle as stolen.

CBP seized the narcotics and vehicle. A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent arrested the driver, a 20-year-old male Mexican citizen, and a 19-year-old male passenger, also a Mexican citizen, on federal drug smuggling charges.

The third largest seizure occurred at about 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 2, at the Andrade port of entry when two women, a 25-year-old and a 27-year-old, both U.S. citizens traveling in a maroon 1999 Dodge Durango with Arizona plates, were referred to the vehicle secondary examination area for further inspection.

An intensive inspection of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of 144 wrapped packages of marijuana concealed in the rear quarter panels of the vehicle. The weight of the narcotic was 252 pounds.

CBP officers arrested the driver and passenger, both residents of Yuma, Ariz., for the alleged illegal importation of narcotics and turned them over to the custody of ICE agents for further investigation. CBP seized both the marijuana and vehicle.

During the four days, officers also apprehended 15 fugitives with outstanding felony warrants. The fugitives were wanted for crimes such as burglary, sexual assault, fraud, and dangerous drugs and parole/probation violations.

“Although the primary focus of CBP is anti-terrorism, we continue to apprehend wanted fugitives and to seize large quantities of dangerous narcotics,â€