The first seizure involved a Ford Explorer that arrived to the checkpoint inspection on Wednesday at about 10 a.m. After a Border Patrol K-9 alerted on the vehicle, agents inspected the undercarriage and found that the gas tank had been tampered with. Thirty-two bundles of cocaine, weighing about 77 pounds, were discovered in a custom-made compartment built onto the gas tank. The vehicle’s driver, a 24-year-old male Mexican national, was arrested.
On Thursday at about 12:15 a.m., the second seizure took place when Border Patrol agents encountered a Nissan Quest driven by a 21-year-old female U.S. citizen, who was accompanied by her seven-month-old daughter. A Border Patrol K-9 alerted on the SUV, leading agents to examine the vehicle through the use of non-intrusive X-ray technology. Twenty-five bundles of cocaine were detected inside the vehicle’s rear side panels and airbag compartment. The airbag compartment cover was actuated by electrical wires hidden behind the vehicle’s radio. The total weight of the bundles was 68.5 pounds. The driver was arrested and custody of the infant was subsequently turned over to another family member.
Both suspected smugglers and narcotic loads were turned over to a multi-agency, anti-drug task force.
Border Patrol checkpoints continue to serve as an effective enforcement tool against smugglers of humans, drugs, and other contraband.
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.
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/07172009_5.xml
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