CBP Officers Intercept $850,000 in Narcotics at Calexico, Calif. Downtown Port

Calexico, Calif. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Calexico, Calif. downtown port of entry seized more than $850,000 worth of hard narcotics in two separate smuggling attempts Friday.

The first seizure occurred at about 2 p.m. when a CBP officer conducting inspections of travelers and vehicles entering the U.S., escorted a 32-year-old male U.S. citizen driving a green 2000 Ford Mustang to vehicle secondary for further examination.

An intensive examination that included a canine screening led to the discovery of 25 wrapped packages of cocaine concealed inside the vehicle’s quarter panels. The cocaine had a weight of 58 pounds with a street value of approximately $522,000.

The man, a resident of Mexicali, Baja California, was arrested for the alleged narcotic smuggling attempt.

The second seizure occurred at about p.m., when a CBP officer conducting inspections of travelers and vehicles detected signs of nervousness from a 33-year-old female U.S. citizen who was driving a red 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser. A canine unit screened the vehicle during the inspection and the canine alerted to the vehicle. Officers then escorted the driver and vehicle to secondary for further examination.

An intensive examination led to the discovery of 15 wrapped packages of cocaine and methamphetamine co-mingled inside the windshield wiper area of the vehicle. The total weight of the narcotics was 28 pounds with a street value of approximately $342,000. The driver, a resident of Mexicali, Baja California, was arrested for the narcotic smuggling attempt.

Both individuals were turned over to the custody of ICE agents and transported to the Imperial County Jail where they currently await arraignment.

In both incidents, CBP seized the narcotics and vehicles.

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.