U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations officers working at the El Paso port of entry seized 2,633.9 pounds of marijuana in two separate busts this week, valued at approximately $2,107,120.
“The cargo environment is challenging as the varying types of vehicles and commodities provide smugglers numerous places to hide contraband," said Hector Mancha, CBP El Paso Director of Field Operations. “The layered enforcement approach CBP utilizes helped in making these seizures. Drug sniffing dogs, high technology, and officer expertise all contributed to this enforcement action.”
The first seizure was made when a 2006 GMC C7500 entered the Bridge of the Americas commercial area of the port from Mexico, carrying a commercial quantity of aluminum foil. Bundles were discovered comingled with boxes of aluminum foil. A sample was extracted from one of the bundles, which tested positive for the properties of marijuana. A total of 626 bundles were discovered with a weight of 1,056.5 pounds.
The second seizure was made in a 2007 International Commercial Semi-Truck bearing hauling an empty flatbed bearing. An x-ray inspection yielded positive anomalies within the floor of the empty flatbed. A sweep of the semi-truck and flatbed resulting in a positive alert to the presence of narcotics. A total of 419 bundles with a weight of 1,577.4 pounds. The investigation in both cases continues.
Photo: U.S. Customs and Border Protection