U.S. Customs and Border Protection

EL PASO (News Release) – U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers working at the Paso Del Norte Border Crossing intercepted an estimated $555,000 worth of cocaine and marijuana on three separate failed smuggling attempts.

“These seizures demonstrate the vigilance of our CBP Officers, and their excellence in detecting individuals attempting to introduce drugs into our communities,” said CBP El Paso Acting Port Director Luis Mejia.

On July 6, CBP officers encountered a 28-year-old female, Mexican citizen who arrived from Mexico via the vehicle lanes. The individual was referred for a secondary inspection of the vehicle which included screening by a CBP canine and non-intrusive exam. Physical inspection of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of multiple bundles throughout the vehicle containing a total of 108 pounds of marijuana.

On July 8, CBP officers encountered a 25-year-old male Mexican citizen who arrived from Mexico via the vehicle lanes. The individual was referred for a secondary inspection of the vehicle where with the aid of a CBP canine, CBP officers located multiple packages concealed within the trunk area. The packages contained a total of 33.3 pounds of cocaine.

Lastly, on July 10, CBP officers encountered a 36-year-old female, U.S. citizen who arrived from Mexico via the vehicle lanes. The individual was referred for a secondary inspection of the vehicle which included a non-intrusive exam. A thorough search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of multiple bundles within the vehicle containing a total of 17.1 pounds of cocaine. Two juvenile children traveling with the driver were remanded to the custody of a relative.

The first case was turned over to state/local authorities and the other two cases were turned over to Homeland Security Investigations.