U.S. Customs Make 13 Drug Seizures at El Paso Ports

EL PASO, TEXAS -- U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers performing anti-terror inspections at El Paso area border ports of entry made 13 drug seizures on Saturday, March 24 confiscating 1,209 pounds of marijuana in a dozen busts and 9.7 pounds of cocaine in an additional seizure. Over the course of the last three days, area CBP officers seized a total of 2,097 pounds of marijuana and 9.7 pounds of cocaine in 24 total seizures. "CBP officers were successful in balancing enforcement and traffic facilitation during an exceptionally busy Saturday," said David Longoria, U.S. Customs and Border Protection El Paso Port Director. "CBP officers were able to keep border crossing times under 60 minutes for most of the day while processing dozens of drug cases, illegal immigration attempts, agriculture violations, and other enforcement concerns." The largest seizure of the day Saturday occurred just after 9 p.m. at the Ysleta crossing in El Paso when CBP officers discovered 322 pounds of marijuana concealed within a load of furniture. The furniture was in the bed of a 1984 Ford F-150 pickup truck being driven from Mexico to the U.S. by 41-year-old Miguel Angel Ortiz of El Paso, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) special agents arrested Ortiz in connection with the failed smuggling attempt.