$1.3M in opiates, meth seized at the Nogales border crossing

Border Patrol officers at the Nogales crossing arrested a Green Valley man on suspicion of attempting to smuggle a combined $1.3 million in illegal drugs into the state, including opiates and methamphetamine, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection said.

The 52-year-old man was stopped Wednesday morning at the Dennis DeConcini crossing for a truck inspection, officials said.

A Border Patrol K9 dog alerted officers to an odor in the bed of the truck, according to the agency.

Officers removed nearly 70 packages of drugs, which included 49 pounds of meth, 43 pounds of heroin and a quarter-pound of fentanyl, CBP officials said in a press release.

Shortly after that arrest, Border Patrol officers stopped a 35-year-old Mesa resident to search his truck at a crossing in Nogales.

A K9 dog drew their attention to the truck’s back seat and spare tire and officers removed nearly 129 pounds of marijuana valued at $65,000, officials said.