U.S. Border Patrol officers in El Paso, Texas were especially busy Thursday seizing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of drugs in separate busts of smugglers trying to sneak drugs into the U.S.
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection official says officers seized 1.6 pounds of heroin, 30.6 pounds of methamphetamine, 112 pounds of marijuana and three pounds of an unknown substance in pill form in four separate seizures at the El Paso port of entry during the day.
Officers find bundles of drugs in minivan
The day got off to a busy start around 9:30 a.m.
when officers working at the inspection station at the Ysleta–Zaragoza International Bridge stopped and checked a Chrysler Voyager. When officers x-rayed the minivan, they noticed what was described as “anomalies in the appearance” of the vehicle. Upon closer inspection officers found bundles hidden in the seats containing 29.5 pounds of methamphetamine, 1.6 pounds of heroin, and three pounds of an unknown substance in pill form. The contents of the pills were being tested.
The driver of the minivan, a 19-year-old man, who is a U.S. citizen, was arrested on suspicion of drug smuggling. His name was not immediately released.
Woman with bulge was found carrying methamphetamine
Later at the same inspection station, a woman walking through the entry point gained the attention of officers because of what was described as “unusual behavior.” They also noticed an unusual bulge in her stomach.
When they checked closer, they found a package containing 1.1 pounds of methamphetamine strapped to her belly. The woman, a 24-year-old Mexican citizen, was also arrested on suspicion of Drug Smuggling.
Street value of drugs seized about $360K
Details of the two other busts Thursday were not released, but for the day the street value of the marijuana, heroin, and methamphetamine seized is estimated to be in the vicinity of $360,000.
“CBP officers are focused on the many threats they encounter on a daily basis,” Beverly Good, CBP El Paso Port Director, said in a statement announcing the drug seizures and arrests.
“They are working hard to stop substances that have devastated people and communities around our nation.”
The El Paso border crossing is one of the busiest crossings in the U.S., with more than 10 million people entering the U.S. from Mexico every year, according to the Border Patrol. Besides cars and trucks, trains and pedestrians also cross into the U.S. at the entry point.
