WASHINGTON: U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations officers working at the El Paso port of entry seized 23 pounds of methamphetamine Monday night. The estimated street value of the seized contraband is $736,000. “This was a deeply concealed drug load,” said Beverly Good, CBP El Paso Port Director. “CBP officers are working hard every day to uphold the CBP mission and protect our nation.” The seizure was made just before 8 p.m. when a 2011 Chevrolet Malibu with a single female driver entered the Ysleta international crossing from Mexico. A CBP officer working at the primary inspection station directed the driver to the secondary inspection area. CBP officers used the Z-Portal x-ray system to scan the vehicle and noted a number of anomalies, A CBP drug sniffing dog also searched the vehicle and provided a positive response for the presence of drugs. CBP officers discovered a non-factory compartment within the vehicle filled with bundles. The contents of the packages tested positive for methamphetamine.
CBP officers took custody of the driver, a 24-year-old U.S. citizen from Phoenix, Arizona. She was turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement HSI special agents to face charges associated with the failed drug smuggling attempt. 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. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 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.
