Thread: Stop U.S. Citizen Wanted for Homicide and seize 540 Pounds o

Stop U.S. Citizen Wanted for Homicide and seize 540 Pounds of Narcotics

(Wednesday, August 24, 2011)

Imperial Valley, Calif. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Imperial Valley ports of entry over the past weekend caught a man wanted for homicide by the Norwalk Police Department, and seized 540 pounds of narcotics from entering the U.S.

At about 3:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 20, Miguel Angel Silva, a 27-year-old male U.S. citizen and resident of Compton, California, arrived on foot at the Calexico downtown port of entry. A CBP officer conducting inspections detected from Silva’s entry documentation that he could be a possible imposter and escorted him for further examination. CBP officers ran a query through law enforcement databases and discovered that Silva had an active warrant for homicide issued by the Norwalk Police Department in California.

CBP officers used fingerprints to confirm the man’s identity before he was turned over to the custody of state and locals who then transported him to the Imperial County Jail to await extradition.

On Sunday and Monday, CBP officers also seized approximately 458 pounds of marijuana and 82 pounds of cocaine.

The first seizure occurred on Sunday, August 21, at about 4:30 p.m., at the Calexico downtown port of entry when CBP Officers conducting inspections of vehicles and travelers escorted two U.S. citizens, in a black 2010 Nissan Cube to the secondary area after a canine alerted to the vehicle.

At secondary, an examination of the vehicle led officers to the discovery of 27 wrapped packages of cocaine concealed inside a non-factory compartment in the floor area of the vehicle. The narcotics weighed 82 pounds with a street value of approximately $738,000.

An additional 19 pills of Ecstasy were discovered on the female passenger. The street value for the pills is at approximately $285.

Both the driver and passenger, 39-year-old and 30-year-old residents of Santa Ana and Burbank, California, were arrested for the alleged narcotic smuggling attempt and turned over to the custody of Homeland Security Investigators for further processing.

A second seizure occurred three and a half hours later at the Andrade port of entry when a 32-year-old female Mexican citizen driving a grey 2006 Nissan Murano was referred to the secondary inspection area after the CBP officer detected anomalies with the vehicle’s tires.

An intensive examination that included a canine screening led officers to the discovery of 36 wrapped packages of marijuana concealed inside the rocker panels and metal boxes bolted to the inner rims of all four tires of the vehicle. The weight of the narcotic was 177 pounds with a street value of $80,080.

The driver, a resident of Mexicali, Baja California, was arrested for the alleged narcotic smuggling attempt and turned over to the custody of HSI agents for further processing.

The third seizure occurred on Monday, August 22, at about 5:10 a.m. at the Calexico down town port of entry when a canine team conducting inspections of vehicles in the secondary examination area alerted to the bed of a blue 2001 Dodge Ram pick-up truck.

An intensive examination of the vehicle led officers to the discovery of 45 wrapped packages of marijuana concealed inside a non-factory compartment within the bed of the truck. The weight of the narcotic was 281 pounds with a street value of approximately $127,260.

The driver, a 38-year-old male Mexican citizen and resident of Mexicali, Baja California, was arrested for the alleged narcotic smuggling attempt and turned over to the custody of HSI agents for further processing.

CBP placed an immigration hold on the Mexican citizens to initiate removal from the United States at the conclusion of their criminal proceeding.

On all three seizures, CBP seized both the narcotics and vehicles.

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 our nation's borders at and between the 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

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/new ... 2011_4.xml