Arizona CBP Officers Make $5 Million Marijuana Bust; Largest Ever At San Luis Port

Friday, January 18, 2008

San Luis, Ariz – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the San Luis, Ariz. port of entry yesterday intercepted the largest amount of marijuana ever during a smuggling attempt. Officers seized a ton and a half of the drug worth just under $5 million.

"Our officers’ ability to pick out discrepancies and act upon their suspicions, coupled with our canines, tools and technology all contribute to our successes," said Port Director William Brooks, "and this is the biggest success we’ve had to date."

Just a little after 8 a.m. yesterday, CBP officers screening commercial vehicles entering the U.S. from Mexico encountered a 45-year-old U.S. citizen driving a commercial truck with an empty trailer. The officers became suspicious of the driver’s
behavior and answers to routine questions and referred the vehicle for a thorough inspection.

Officers performing the inspection used a narcotics detector dog to assist with the search. After "Ben" alerted to the odor of narcotics coming from the trailer, the officers continued the inspection by using an X-ray system to quickly scan the trailer for anomalies. The officers noticed discrepancies in the trailer and quickly found a compartment built into it that, when opened, revealed 182 bundles of marijuana.

The marijuana, weighing 3,043 pounds, has an estimated street value of almost $5 million and was seized, along with the tractor and trailer.