CBP Officers Seize 3+ Tons of Marijuana

EL PASO, Texas -- U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers performing anti-terror inspections at ports of entry in El Paso, West Texas and New Mexico made 36 drug seizures this week, confiscating 6,486 pounds of marijuana in 35 busts and 14.5 pounds of cocaine in one additional bust. The largest seizure of the week occurred yesterday at the commercial cargo facility at the Ysleta port of entry when CBP officers seized 2,796 pounds of marijuana. The drugs were concealed in a false compartment in a tractor-trailer that entered the port from Mexico. CBP officers at the cargo facility were inspecting a truck carrying a shipment of Styrofoam cups when they noticed an anomaly in the appearance of the conveyance. CBP drug sniffing dog Basty alerted to the front of the trailer. CBP officers removed a false front wall and discovered 281 marijuana-filled bundles inside. No arrests were made in the case. In addition to substantial drug seizure activity, area CBP officers made 36 seizures of prohibited food and agricultural items this week, resulting in $8,800 in fines being assessed. Prohibited items seized this week included pork, pork wieners, bologna, chorizo, raw chicken, avocados, oranges, tangerines, pears, plums, kiwi, sugar cane, guavas, potatoes, apples, mamay, guanabana, honey (w/ honeycomb containing bee larvae and pollen) and live plants. Dozens of other prohibited agricultural and food items were abandoned at the port of entry by border crossers who correctly declared their goods and avoided penalties of up to $300 for first time violations. CBP officers working at area ports of entry stopped a total of 96 people who were violating U.S. immigration laws while attempting to enter the country. CBP officers identified a total of 67 intended immigrant cases (people with legitimate entry documents intending to live/work illegally in the U.S.), 16 imposters (people using a legitimate document not assigned to the person presenting the document) four false claims for U.S. citizenship by non U.S. citizens, six people attempting to enter the U.S. with counterfeit, fraudulent, or altered entry documents, and three people who attempted to enter the U.S. without inspection. CBP officers this week also seized 9 live birds (4 roosters, 3 chickens, 2 dwarf hens), ammunition, and undeclared alcohol (11 liters/$435 penalty).