C.B.P. News Release

CBP Officers Intercept $1.4 Million Ecstasy Smuggling Attempt

(Friday, June 03, 2011)

Champlain, N.Y. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Office of Field Operations today announced the seizure of approximately 49 pounds of methylene-dioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), better known as the club-drug Ecstasy. The seizure resulted in the arrest of a Canadian citizen.

On June 3, CBP officers encountered 34-year-old Tara Haynes, a Canadian citizen from Montreal, Quebec, as she applied for admission into the U.S. at the Champlain, N.Y., port of entry. Haynes made a negative declaration and advised CBP that she was traveling to New York City to visit her boyfriend. Haynes exhibited nervousness during her primary interview and had difficulty answering additional questions related to her itinerary. As a result, Haynes was referred for a secondary enforcement exam.

In secondary, an inspection was performed on the subject’s vehicle and revealed that the gas tank had been manipulated. CBP officers examined the area underneath the backseat and found that bags of pills had been concealed within the gas tank. The pills field tested positive for properties of MDMA. The bags were found to contain approximately 70,000 pills with a weight of approximately 49 pounds.

The seized narcotics have an estimated street value of $1.4 million.

“This case is an excellent example of the challenges Customs and Border Protection Officers face as they inspect arriving passengers seeking admission to the United States on a day-to-day basis.â€