MIAMI: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) officers working at Miami International Airport (MIA) arrested a passenger attempting to smuggle approximately 7.7 pounds of heroin with an estimated street value of $210,000. The individual was arriving on a flight from Colombia on Jan 22.
CBP officers selected the passenger for further examination after an initial inspection revealed inconsistencies in the individual’s purpose of travel to Colombia. The passenger was traveling with two bags that were unusually heavy when emptied.
One of the bags, a back pack, contained thick padding on the side. The padding was probed producing a powdery substance. The second bag was also inspected and produced a similar powdery substance concealed in similar padding. The samples discovered in each bag were field tested yielding the same result of having properties of heroin. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) reported to the scene to investigate further. The individual was consequently arrested and charged with the smuggling of illegal narcotics.
“CBP officers work diligently 24/7 every day of the week to prevent the smuggling of illicit drugs from entering our nation,” said Miami International Airport Port Director Christopher Maston.
CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws including the interdiction of narcotic contraband while maintaining the effective and efficient flow of travel, trade and tourism at our airports, seaports and land borders. On a typical day, CBP welcomes nearly 1 million visitors, screens more than 67,000 cargo containers, arrests more than 1,100 individuals and seizes nearly 6 tons of illicit drugs.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection operations in Florida include travel and trade facilitation and securing over 1,200 miles of the coastal border.
