TUCSON: Customs and Border Protection officers arrested a Mexican national for an alleged attempt to smuggle more than $274,000 worth of cocaine through the Port of Nogales Feb. 16.Ten packages of cocaine were removed by CBP officers at the DeConcini crossing, from within the dashboard area of a smuggling vehicle
Officers at the Dennis DeConcini crossing referred Luis Arturo Lopez-Illingworth, 31, for further inspection of his Chevrolet SUV when he attempted to enter the U.S. as a SENTRI cardholder. After a CBP narcotics-detection canine alerted to drugs within the vehicle’s dashboard, officers removed more than 26 pounds of cocaine.
After revoking his SENTRI privileges and seizing the vehicle and drugs, officers turned Lopez over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
