AZ ports of entry give up record amount of heroin

By Stephen Ceasar
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 11.08.2008

U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized a record 291 pounds of heroin at Arizona ports of entry in the fiscal year 2008, a 200 percent increase from 2007.

The heroin seizures set a record for Arizona and were a portion of the 75,000 pounds of narcotics with an estimated street value of more than $235 million discovered in the state, agency figures show.

"The demand for heroin and other hard narcotics is up in the U.S.," said Brian Levin, U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman. "It also takes less heroin to make more money."

That is because the street values of heroin and other hard narcotics are much higher than marijuana, which is the most commonly smuggled drug, explained Levin. Marijuana costs around $550 a kilo, while heroin can cost as much as $35,000 a kilo.

All other narcotics seized in the last fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30, were down from their 2007 totals. More than 71,000 pounds of marijuana were found, which is down 6 percent from the year before, said Levin.

The agency seized 3,383 pounds of cocaine, down from 3,949 pounds; and 317 pounds of methamphetamines were seized, down from 543 pounds.

Officers also seized $1.6 million in undeclared currency, up from $913,000 in 2007.

The decreased numbers can be attributed to officer diligence and detection at the ports of entries.

"Its getting harder and harder for the smugglers," said Levin. "The training and technology work well towards deterring their efforts."

â—