Seizures, arrests at El Paso ports of entry
The first week of December has been busy for CBP officers as they seized large amounts of drugs and guns, and arrested a murder suspect at El Paso and Southern New Mexico ports of entry.
Officers seized 67 pounds of cocaine, 89 pounds of methamphetamine and multiple firearms between Saturday, Dec. 2 to Monday, Dec. 4, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers said.
“Our CBP officers continued vigilance in protecting the border achieves daily results,” CBP El Paso Director Field Operations Hector A. Mancha said in a statement. “CBP officers remain dedicated to disrupting the flow of dangerous narcotics and weapons from entering our country and reaching our communities.”
They also arrested a man wanted for murder Wednesday, Dec. 6, as he attempted to reenter the U.S.
“Effective utilization of national law enforcement databases allows our officers to identify and apprehend wanted fugitives,” CBP Santa Teresa Port Director Tony Hall said in a statement. “This part of the work performed by CBP officers helps keep our communities safe.”
Cocaine, meth and guns
The first drug seizure happened Saturday, Dec. 2, at the Santa Teresa port of entry when a 32-year-old Canadian man attempted to cross a vehicle into the U.S., officials said.
Officers conducted an inspection of the vehicle and found several bundles of cocaine hidden in the car. The amount of cocaine was about 26 pounds.
A few hours later at the Presidio port of entry, a 25year-old man, who is a Mexican citizen, attempted to cross the border with 25 pounds of cocaine hidden in the center console of a pickup truck, officials said.
The next day, a Mexican man, whose age was not released, crossed the border with his family Sunday, Dec. 3, at the Antelope Wells border crossing in New Mexico, officials said. A secondary inspection of the man’s vehicle revealed several packages hidden in the center console of the car.
Inside the packages, officers found multiple weapons, including shotguns, revolvers, pistols and rifles, along with weapon parts, officials said.
Two big seizures were made Monday, Dec. 4, at two different El Paso area ports of entry.
Officers working at a port of entry in Tornillo inspected a vehicle driven by a 24-year-old woman, who is a Mexican citizen. A drug-sniffing dog also was used to inspect the vehicle.
Several bundles of cocaine were found hidden in the vehicle, officials said. Officers seized about 15 pounds of cocaine.
A few hours later, officers working at the Bridge of the Americas port of entry in South-Central El Paso found anomalies in a vehicle during an inspection, officials said. A drug-sniffing dog also alerted officers to the vehicle.
A search of the vehicle, which was driven by a 24year-old Mexican woman, resulted in officers finding 89 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in several bundles throughout the vehicle, officials said.
All of the smuggling suspects, whose names were not released, were turned over to Homeland Security Investigations or local law enforcement authorities for prosecution, officials said.
Albuquerque murder suspect detained at port of entry
A 32-year-old man, who is a U.S. citizen, attempted to enter the country in a vehicle from Mexico on Wednesday, Dec. 6, at the Santa Teresa port of entry, officials said.
A background check revealed the man had an outstanding warrant for murder issued by the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office in Albuquerque, New Mexico, officials said.
The name of the man has not been released. The man was detained and is awaiting extradition to Bernalillo County, officials said.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers have apprehended 19 fugitives at El Paso and Southern New Mexico ports of entry since the beginning of December, officials said. The fugitives have been wanted on various charges including murder, indecent exposure to a minor, assault and human trafficking.