CBP Stops Big Marijuana Load at El Paso Port
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations officers working at the El Paso port of entry seized 254 pounds of marijuana Thursday. CBP officers located the drug load during an enforcement operation.
“Specialized enforcement operations are an important part of our toolkit and help stop illegal activity at the border ports of entry,” said Beverly Good, CBP El Paso Port Director. “Officer expertise, pre-primary sweeps, canines and technology all play an important role in the work we do.”
The seizure was made just after 6 a.m. when a 1977 Ford F-100 pickup truck with a single occupant entered the Paso Del Norte inspection area from Mexico. CBP officers were performing an enforcement sweep of the vehicles waiting in line when a CBP drug-sniffing dog alerted to the truck. CBP officers scanned the vehicle with an x-ray system and noted anomalies. CBP officers initiated an exam and located marijuana-filled bundles hidden in the front fenders, seats, doors and speaker box. The compartments contained 120 bundles.
CBP officers took custody of the driver, a 30-year-old Mexican citizen male from Ciudada Juarez, Mexico. He was turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations 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.