Family man busted

Wife, child also riding in vehicle

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working the Santa Teresa port of entry seized 8.5 pounds of cocaine over the weekend from a man who was traveling with his wife and 5-year-old child.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working the Santa Teresa port of entry seized 8.5 pounds of cocaine over the weekend from a man who was traveling with his wife and 5-year-old child.

“This is an unfortunate trend in that the smuggler was traveling with his wife and young child in the vehicle in an apparent effort to deflect attention away from the drug smuggling attempt,” said CBP Santa Teresa Port Director Ray Provencio in a statement. “Smugglers will occasionally attempt to blend in with legitimate travelers by using family members to help mask their true intent.”

The man was traveling in 2004 Ford Lobo with two adult passengers and a young child as they attempted to enter through the Santa Teresa port. A CBP officer noticed anomalies in the appearance of the backseat of the truck that led to the discovery of a hidden non-factory compartment. The officer probed a bundle found in the compartment and recovered a substance which tested positive for cocaine.

A total of three cocaine-filled bundles were recovered from the hidden compartment.

The driver, a 38-year-old Mexican male from Chihuahua City, Mexico, was turned over to ICE HSI special agents to face charges in connection with the failed smuggling attempt. His 29-yearold spouse and 5-year-old child were processed and returned to Mexico.