500 lbs of Marijuana Seized at San Luis Port of Entry

SAN LUIS, AZ - Customs and Border Protection Officers at the San Luis port of entry arrested two men in connection with separate attempts to smuggle marijuana into the country this week, helped by local narcotics detection experts. At around 9 on Tuesday evening, March 14, CBP officers screening people and vehicles entering the country chose to inspect a 1987 Chevy van during routine questioning of the driver, a 23-year-old man from San Luis, AZ. Officers searching the vehicle discovered what looked like a compartment built into the back of the van. The officers then called in an expert at finding narcotics, Jackie, a narcotics detection dog. When Jackie alerted to the odor of narcotics, the officers continued their search of the vehicle and confirmed that a compartment had been built into the van. When the CBP officers opened the compartment, they found 48 bundles of marijuana, weighing more than 462 pounds. The narcotics and vehicle were seized, and the driver was arrested and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Last night at around 9:30, CBP officers searching a 1995 Ford Explorer decided to call in another expert in narcotics detection, Boy. After Boy alerted the officers to narcotics odor, the officers searched the SUV and found more than 68 pounds of marijuana hidden in different areas, including the spare tire, door panels, and quarter panels. During a search of the driver, a 19-year-old man from San Luis, AZ the officers also discovered a small amount of methamphetamine. The narcotics and vehicle were seized. The driver was arrested and turned over to the San Luis Police Department. The marijuana has an estimated bulk value of $500,000 in Arizona. Since the beginning of the fiscal year on October 1st, Customs and Border Protection Officers at the San Luis port of entry have stopped more than 60 attempts to smuggle dangerous drugs into the country, seizing more than 2,037 pounds of marijuana and more than 327 pounds of cocaine. While anti-terrorism is the primary mission of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the inspection process at the ports of entry associated with this mission results in impressive numbers of enforcement actions in all categories.