U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, officers at the Port of Nogales Mariposa commercial crossing seized nearly $2.5 million in marijuana and methamphetamine weighing nearly 3,300 pounds since Tuesday.
Officers referred a tractor trailer being driven by a 35-year-old Mexican national when he attempted to enter the United States through the Mariposa commercial facility, Tuesday afternoon.
A CBP narcotics detection canine alerted officers to 190 bundles of marijuana concealed within a shipment of charcoal. The drugs are identified as more than 2900 pounds of marijuana with a value of approximately $1.5M.
Wednesday afternoon, officers referred a tractor trailer being driven by a 48-year-old Mexican national when he attempted to enter the United States also through the Mariposa commercial facility.
A search of the empty trailer by a CBP canine alerted to more than 300 packages of methamphetamine within a floor compartment. The drugs weighed more than 360 pounds, with an estimated value of nearly $1.1M.
Officers seized both tractor trailers and the drugs. Both drivers were arrested and turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations
U.S. Border Patrol Apprehends Felon Smuggling Drugs at Texas Border
U.S. Border Patrol Agents arrested three males as they attempted to smuggle 68.5 pounds of marijuana across the Rio Grande just east of El Paso on February 27.
Border Patrol Agents working along the border near Fort Hancock observed three individuals entering the United States illegally by walking across the mostly dry Rio Grande River.
When agents confronted the suspects they noted that all three were carrying backpacks of what appeared to be illegal drugs.
The three illegal aliens were taken in to custody and the drugs seized. All were transported to the Fort Hancock Station for further processing.
At the station, Agents tested the contents of the backpacks which indicated a positive result for marijuana.
After fingerprinting all three individuals it was found that one suspect, identified as 55-year-old Marin Gonzales of Mexico, had an extensive criminal history. Gonzales was once a lawfully admitted permanent resident in the United States but was deported due to his convictions.
His criminal history includes convictions for aggravated assault against a household member (fourth degree felony), battery against a household member, battery upon a peace officer, inflicting corporal punishment on spouse, possession of a controlled narcotic.
Gonzales has been turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for further prosecution. Another of the three subjects was found to be a minor and will be turned over to Mexican authorities.
The preceding is a press release from the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agency.
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