Nogales CBP Officers Seize $1.37K in Drugs

TUCSON, Ariz. –U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at Arizona’s Port of Nogales arrested 2 Arizona residents connected with separate failed attempts to smuggle fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana into the United States on Wednesday.

CBP officers at the Dennis DeConcini Crossing referred a 52-year-old Green Valley, Arizona man for further inspection of his Dodge truck early Wednesday morning. A CBP narcotics detection canine alerted to a scent it was trained to detect within the truck’s bed. Officers removed nearly 70 packages of drugs identified as more than 49 pounds of meth, worth more than $148,000; almost 43 pounds of heroin, worth more than $1.15M and .25 pound of fentanyl, worth more than $3,400.

A short time later, officers referred a 35-year-old Mesa, Arizona resident for a further search of a Ford truck. Following a positive alert by a CBP canine to the back seats and spare tire, officers removed nearly 129 pounds of marijuana, worth nearly $65,000.

Officers seized the drugs and vehicles, while both subjects were arrested and then turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.