34 pounds of heroin seized in Nogales
June 20th, 2008 @ 3:39pm
by KTAR Newsroom

Keeping dangerous drugs from entering the country is part of what Field Operations (part of U.S. Customs and Border Protection), does every day at the ports of entry, and yesterday's seizure of 34 pounds of heroin is a prime example of what CBP Officers do on a daily basis.

It all began around 11:45 yesterday morning, June 19, when a CBP officer performing checks on peole and vehicles entering the country from Mexico selected the driver of a 1999 Dodge pickup for examination. The officer questioned the driver, a 42-year-old woman from Phoenix, and performed a quick check of the vehicle. During the check, the officer noticed discrepancies with the vehicle and proceeded to give it a thorough inspection.

The officer called in a narcotics detector dog, who alerted to narcotics odor coming from the vehicle, which increased the officer's suspicions. After the dog alerted, additional officers helped search the vehicle, discovering 25 packages of heroin inside the gas tank.

The driver was immediately arrested and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for further investigation.

The heroin was seized along with the vehicle. Estimated street value of the heroin is $1.5 million.

So far this fiscal year, CBP officers in Arizona have seized 216 pounds of heroin, up from 28 pounds last fiscal year.

Field Operations is responsible for securing our borders at the ports of entry. U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers' primary mission is anti-terrorism; they screen all people, vehicles, and goods entering the United States, while facilitating the flow of legitimate trade and travel into and out of the United States. Their mission also includes carrying out traditional border-related responsibilities, including narcotics interdiction, enforcing immigration law, protecting the nation's food supply and agriculture industry from pests and diseases, and enforcing trade laws.

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.





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