CBP Officers Thwart Multiple Drug Smuggling Attempts at Paso Del Norte Border
El Paso, TX – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Paso Del Norte border crossing recently thwarted four separate drug smuggling attempts. Individuals were caught attempting to smuggle significant quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine concealed within their bodies.
CBP El Paso Port Director Ray Provencio highlighted the dangers of such smuggling methods. “This is an exceptionally dangerous practice and could be lethal if the drug packaging were to rupture,” he stated, commending the officers for preventing potential medical emergencies.
The first incident occurred on Jan. 14 when a 36-year-old U.S. citizen woman was caught with 189.8 grams of fentanyl and 65.7 grams of methamphetamine. The drugs were hidden inside her body and detected during a secondary inspection involving a CBP canine and a pat-down search.
The following day, a 22-year-old U.S. citizen woman was intercepted with 119.1 grams of fentanyl. A CBP canine team alerted officers to the presence of narcotics, leading to the discovery of the drugs concealed within her body.
Later on Jan. 15, a 45-year-old male U.S. citizen was found carrying 143.6 grams of fentanyl. The narcotics were discovered during a secondary inspection after a CBP canine team detected the presence of drugs. The fentanyl was hidden within the man’s rectal cavity.
On Jan. 24, another interception occurred involving a 41-year-old female U.S. citizen. She was found with 51.2 grams of fentanyl, concealed within her body. The multicolored fentanyl bundles were discovered during a pat-down search after she was referred for a secondary inspection.
The individuals arrested in these incidents were handed over to Homeland Security Investigations for further investigation. These successful interceptions underscore the ongoing efforts of CBP officers in combating the smuggling of illegal narcotics into the United States.