C.B.P. News Release

Calexico Port Officers Discover 27 Pounds of Cocaine Hidden in Vehicle Driven by 33-Year-Old Male

(Tuesday, November 22, 2011)

Calexico, Calif. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Calexico downtown port of entry arrested a 33-year-old male Mexican citizen after they found 27 pounds of cocaine hidden in the vehicle he was driving when he entered the port Saturday.

The seizure occurred at about 4:15 a.m. when a detector dog alerted to a tan 2000 Dodge Neon as the driver waited in line for inspection. Both vehicle and driver were escorted to the secondary inspection area for further examination.

An intensive inspection led officers to the discovery of 12 wrapped packages of cocaine concealed within the rear doors of the vehicle. The estimated street value of the narcotic is $243,000.

CBP officers turned custody of the driver, a resident of Imperial, California, over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents who then transported him to the Imperial County Jail where he currently awaits arraignment.

CBP placed an immigration hold on the Mexican citizen to initiate removal from the United States at the conclusion of his criminal proceedings.

CBP seized the narcotic and vehicle.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of U.S. borders at and between official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Contacts For This News Release
John Campos
CBP Public Affairs
Phone: (760) 768-2625

CBP Headquarters
Office of Public Affairs
1300 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Room 3.4A
Washington, DC 20229 Phone: (202) 344-1780 or
(800) 826-1471
Fax: (202) 344-1393

Department of Homeland Security

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