CBP Officers Seize Meth, Heroin At Southern Arizona Port

San Luis, Ariz. — Local Customs and Border Protection officers assigned to the Tucson Field Office, a component of CBP’s Joint Field Command, arrested three people over the weekend on drug charges involving 51 pounds of methamphetamines and heroin worth more than $760,000.

San Luis officers referred a 24- year-old Mexican man for a secondary inspection of his Ford truck after he attempted to enter the United States Saturday. Following an alert by a narcotics detection canine, officers searched the vehicle and discovered a non-factory compartment concealed in the vehicle’s undercarriage. Officers then removed one 18-pound package of methamphetamines, valued at nearly $280,000 and seven packages of heroin weighing nearly 15 pounds and valued at almost $202,000. The drugs and vehicle were processed for seizure.

Friday, a 43-year-old Mexican man was arrested after officers found more than three pounds of methamphetamines in his possession during a secondary inspection of his Nissan sedan. A narcotics detection canine alerted to the presence of drugs, leading to the discovery of crystal methamphetamine concealed inside the car’s battery. The drugs, worth more than $51,000, and vehicle were processed for seizure.

Also Friday, a 23-year-old Mexican man was arrested after officers found nearly 15 pounds of methamphetamines in his Ford sedan. Again, a narcotics detection canine helped officers locate the drugs during a secondary inspection. The methamphetamines, worth nearly $227,000, and vehicle were processed for seizure.

All subjects were arrested and turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.

Individuals arrested are charged with a criminal complaint, which raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

CBP announced the JFC-AZ in February 2011 as an organizational realignment that brings together the U.S. Border Patrol, Air and Marine, and Field Operations under a unified command structure. JFC-AZ integrates CBP’s border security, commercial enforcement and trade facilitation missions to more effectively meet the unique challenges faced in Arizona.

CBP's Office of Field Operations is the primary organization within Homeland Security tasked with an anti-terrorism mission at our nation’s ports. OFO officers screen all people, vehicles and goods entering the United States while facilitating the flow of legitimate trade and travel. Their mission also includes carrying out border-related duties, including narcotics interdiction, enforcing immigration and trade laws, and protecting the nation's food supply and agriculture industry from pests and diseases.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.