Officers at Laredo Port Arrest 51-Year-Old Man in Boots Filled with $200,000 in Heroin

January 22, 2010 - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Laredo port of entry stopped the smuggling attempt of two pounds of heroin concealed inside the boots of a man this week at the Lincoln-Juarez Bridge. The seizure occurred on Wednesday, January 20, when CBP officers conducting bus processing and passenger inspections came across a 51-year-old Mexican citizen residing in De Leon, Texas. CBP officers referred the man for a secondary examination. During the inspection, CBP canine “Kuro” alerted to the odor of narcotics emanating from the boots that the man was wearing.

An X-ray scan of the boots revealed anomalies within the soles of the boots. CBP officers examined boots closely and discovered two bundles (one in each boot) containing a total of two pounds of heroin. The heroin has an estimated value of $200,000.

CBP officers arrested the 51-year-old-man and turned him over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents who investigated the seizure. The subject could be facing federal drug charges.

“Our CBP officers' alertness and observation skills greatly contributed to the interception of this dangerous drug,” said Gene Garza, CBP port director, Laredo, Texas. "Our technological resources also were instrumental in the successful discovery of uniquely concealed contraband like this."