$1.2 Million in Heroin Seized at Arizona Port of Entry

Friday, April 25, 2008

Nogales, Ariz. – Once again, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Nogales port of entry have stopped a significant heroin-smuggling attempt by seizing nearly 27 pounds of the drug yesterday, arresting a 37-year-old Mexican man in connection with the failed smuggling attempt.

"We continue to see attempts at pushing heroin through the port of entry," said Port Director James Tong, "and once again, our officers have demonstrated their ability to detect and stop these attempts."

On Thursday, at approximately 7 p.m., a Mexican national from Nogales, Sonora driving a 1997 Dodge Caravan applied for entry at the Mariposa port of entry in Nogales. The vehicle was selected for an inspection and while the officers were searching the vehicle, they noticed discrepancies and called for a narcotics detection dog. When the dog alerted to the odor of narcotics coming from the vehicle, they continued their search and found seven packages of heroin hidden inside a compartment built into the vehicle.

The weight of the heroin was close to 27 pounds, with an estimated street value of $1.2 million.