San Luis CBP Officers Seize Cocaine

Nogales, Ariz. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers assigned to the Tucson Field Office, a component of CBP’s Joint Field Command – Arizona, seized more than 34 pounds of cocaine Friday valued in excess of $309,000.

CBP officers assigned to the San Luis Port referred two Mexican nationals, a 36-year-old male and his 37-year-old female passenger, for an additional inspection of his Jeep SUV when they attempted to enter the United States. After a CBP narcotics detection canine alerted to the presence of drugs in the cargo area, officers took the SUV to a vehicle lift where they found 13 packages of cocaine inside a non-factory compartment. The drugs and vehicle were processed for seizure. The 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's Office of Field Operations is the primary organization within Homeland Security tasked with an anti-terrorism mission at our nation’s ports. CBP 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.