Thread: TX-CBP finds cocaine in motorcycle gas tank

CBP finds cocaine in motorcycle gas tank





EL PASO, Texas - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers working at the El Paso port of entry made a 12 pound cocaine seizure Thursday afternoon. The seizure was one of 20 drug busts CBP officers made this week including 16 marijuana seizures resulting in the confiscation of 613 pounds and four cocaine loads weighing a total of 74 pounds.

The Thursday cocaine seizure was made in the vehicular inspection area of the Bridge of the Americas at 12:05 p.m. A CBP officer at the primary inspection booth noticed inconsistencies on the gas tank of a motorcycle. CBP drug sniffing dog "Ozzy" searched the motorcycle and alerted to the right side of the motorcycle. The motorcycle was taken to a separate inspection area where an extensive inspection of the gas tank was conducted. CBP officers discovered five cocaine-filled packages concealed in the gas tank compartment. The contents of the bundles tested positive for cocaine.

CBP officers arrested 35-year-old Noel Rodriguez-Provencio of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. He was turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) special agents after the case was accepted for federal prosecution. Rodriguez-Provencio was booked into the El Paso County Jail and is currently being held without bond.

In addition to the drug busts, CBP officers working at ports of entry in El Paso, West Texas and New Mexico made a total of 16 seizures of agricultural items during the previous seven days. Violators paid $3,400 in penalties in association with the violations. Prohibited food products seized during the last week included a live chicken, eggs, pork, mangos, apples, quince, pears, peaches, avocados, and pomegranates.

CBP officers recorded 105 immigration violations at area ports this week including 13 imposters. CBP officers remain vigilant and because of their thorough and diligent document exam process combined with their interview techniques, helped in catching two alien smugglers. Imposters generally will use a legitimate entry document assigned to another person and present it as their own. Violators generally lose their documents, can be prosecuted and go to jail and/or are returned to Mexico.

CBP officers seized documents from 60 intended immigrants. In these cases, individuals will use a legally issued border-crossing card (laser visa) to live or work in the U.S., which is not authorized. They also lose their documents and are generally returned to Mexico. CBP officers also identified two immigrant alien smugglers who were booked without bail in the El Paso County Detention facility and 10 people who made false claims to U.S. citizenship, attempted to enter with counterfeit or altered documents, those who entered without inspection, and visa overstay violations.

CBP officers working at area ports made a total of 19 fugitive apprehensions during the previous seven days. While anti-terrorism is the primary mission of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the inspection process at the ports of entry associated with this mission results in impressive numbers of enforcement actions in all categories.


http://www.kdbc.com/Global/story.asp?S= ... =menu608_2

Was the bike a tricked out chopper with a Mexican flag on the gastank and the riders helmet?