More than $1.2 Million in Hard Drugs Seized in Nogales

Release Date: 

August 3, 2016

TUCSON, Ariz. – Customs and Border Protection officers arrested four Mexican men during separate attempts last week to smuggle cocaine and methamphetamine through the Dennis DeConcini crossing.

The first incident occurred July 29 when officers referred a 30-year-old resident of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, for a secondary inspection of his Volkswagen SUV. A positive alert by a CBP narcotics-detection canine led to the discovery of nearly 39 pounds of cocaine, worth close to $440,000, within a non-factory compartment inside the vehicle’s center hump. 

Officers also found nearly 48 pounds of cocaine, valued in excess $540,000 in a vehicle driven by a 26-year-old resident of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. A canine’s alert also led officers to more than 13 pounds of cocaine, worth in excess of $150,000, in a GMC SUV driven by 28-year-old resident of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico.

CBP officers at the DeConcini crossing removed
close to 32 pounds of meth, when they removed the
vehicle's gas tank.

On July 28, officers referred a 51-year-old lawful permanent resident living in Phoenix for an inspection of his Chevrolet truck and found close to 32 pounds of methamphetamine, worth more than $95,000, inside the vehicle’s gas tank.

In all, officers seized four vehicles, approximately 100 pounds of cocaine and 32 pounds of meth. All subjects were turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.