NOGALES: Last week four people were arrested by Customs and Border Protection Officers at the Port of Nogales, after they attempted to smuggle drugs across the border into the U.S. The first two incidents occurred on Friday, Oct. 27 at the Dennis DeConcini crossing when a CBP canine alerted to vehicles about the possibility of drugs. The first happened in the morning when a woman from Eloy was pulled for secondary inspection of her GMC SUV.
CBP officers discovered nearly 133 pounds of marijuana hidden throughout the vehicle. The drugs were worth an estimated $66,000. Later Friday afternoon a couple from Mexico were stopped for additional inspection. CBP officers searched the Hyundai SUV and found 120 pounds of methamphetamine, worth an estimated $360,000 hidden in the spare tire compartment. A third incident happened on Sunday morning, Oct. 29, also at the Dennis DeConcini crossing. Officers searched a Dodge Caravan, driven by a 42-year-old woman from Mexico and found more than 36 pounds of cocaine hidden in the quarter panel. According to CBP the drugs were worth an estimated $413,000. The four were arrested and face charges for narcotics smuggling, they were turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. CBP seized the drugs and the vehicles.