El Paso CBP Officers View HDTV: Hidden Drugs in TV Set

Port Cancels Broadcast of 60 Pounds of Pot
Monday, March 31, 2008

El Paso, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers conducting anti-terrorism operations at the El Paso port of entry intercepted 60 pounds of marijuana at the Bridge of the Americas border crossing Saturday. The significance of the seizure was the concealment method used to smuggle the narcotics. The marijuana was concealed inside of a 36-inch television.

At about 7 p.m. Saturday a burgundy 1989 Toyota Camry station wagon arrived at primary inspection. The driver stated he had nothing to declare from Mexico. Driver informed CBP that he was visiting El Paso to go shopping and also to return a non-working television. The CBP officer became suspicious of the driver when noticed him displaying nervous behavior. The driver and vehicle were referred to secondary for further examination. Inspection of the vehicle was conducted with CBP drug sniffing dog “Chip.” CBP officers discovered 61 bundles of marijuana concealed inside of the television.

“Smuggling organizations will use every imaginable concealment method to get the narcotics through our international ports of entry,” said Arthur Gonzales, CBP Acting Port Director in El Paso. “Anti-Terrorism is our primary mission but we are still focused on enforcement of immigration documents and illegal contraband.”

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agents arrested the driver of the vehicle on importation of a controlled substance. He is identified as 21-year-old Carlos L. Macedo-Soto a Mexican citizen residing in Cuidad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico.