TUCSON: Customs and Border Protection officers arrested one U.S. citizen and two Mexican nationals for alleged attempts to smuggle almost 80 pounds of cocaine and methamphetamine through the Port of Nogales during the weekend.CBP officers discovered more than 36 pounds of meth within the gas tank of a smuggling vehicle
Officers at the Dennis DeConcini crossing Friday referred Yesika Guadalupe Ayala-Valenzuela, 32, of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, for further inspection of her Buick sedan and found more than 36 pounds of meth worth approximately $109,000.
Officers working at the DeConcini crossing Saturday referred Olga Arisdelsy Felix, 24, of Phoenix, for a secondary inspection of her Mercury sedan. After a CBP canine alerted to the presence of drugs, officers found nearly 25 pounds of meth worth in excess of $74,000.
Sunday, officers at the Mariposa Crossing referred Ricardo Montijo-Salazar, 58, of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, for an inspection of his Dodge truck. A canine team then led officers to discover nearly 18 pounds of meth, worth more than $53,000, and slightly more than half a pound of cocaine worth almost $7,000.
CBP officers seized all drugs and turned the suspects over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
