NEW YORK: U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations officers and agriculture specialists working at the El Paso port of entry made five drug busts Wednesday. The enforcement activity netted 5.45 pounds of heroin in one case, 14.65 pounds of methamphetamine in a pair of seizures, and 198 pounds of marijuana in two additional enforcement actions. The estimated street value of the seized contraband is $801,600.
The drug smuggling threat remains high and CBP agriculture specialists and CBP officers continue to work hard to identify and stop this illegal activity,” said Beverly Good, CBP El Paso Port Director.
The heroin seizure was made just before noon at the Bridge of the Americas international crossing when a pedestrian carrying a suitcase entered the port from Mexico. CBP officers selected the traveler for an intensive exam and CBP agriculture specialists x-rayed the suitcase. The scan identified anomalies in the appearance of the bag. CBP drug sniffing dog “Chip” searched the suitcase and alerted to the presence of narcotics. CBP officers continued their exam and located a package of white heroin concealed in the lining of the suitcase. The drugs weighed 5.45 pounds.
CBP officers arrested the traveler, 24-year-old Ariadna Melisa Diaz Zapata of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. She was turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement HSI agents to face charges associated with the failed smuggling attempt.
The first methamphetamine seizure was made at 10:15 a.m. at the Bridge of the Americas international crossing when a pedestrian carrying a suitcase entered the port from Mexico. A CBP officer noted that the traveler was nervous. CBP agriculture specialists x-rayed the suitcase and noted anomalies in the appearance of the bag. CBP drug sniffing dog “Meri” searched the suitcase and alerted to the presence of narcotics. CBP officers and agriculture specialists continued their exam and located a two packages of methamphetamine concealed in the lining of the suitcase. The drugs weighed 7.35 pounds.
CBP officers arrested the traveler, 18-year-old Argeniz Ivan Rojo Felix of Phoenix, Arizona. He was turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement HSI agents to face charges associated with the failed smuggling attempt.
