Step.- Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers working at the Ysleta Port of Entry in El Paso have had a busy 48 hours. Three police actions led to the interception of marijuana, fentanyl, ammunition and rifle magazines.
“CBP officers are enforcing multiple laws while supporting our primary mission of homeland security,” said CBP Ysleta Port Director Arnoldo Gomez. “We work hard to prosecute legitimate trade and travel while apprehending those who intend to violate our nation’s laws.”
On Tuesday, CBP officers encountered a 22-year-old United States citizen who arrived from Mexico through the vehicle lanes. The individual was referred for a secondary inspection of the vehicle where a canine team and non-intrusive examination led CBP officers to locate multiple packages filled with marijuana in the vehicle. The combined weight of all the packages was 140.55 pounds.
A few hours later, CBP officers encountered a 39-year-old US citizen who had arrived from Mexico through the pedestrian lanes. The individual was referred to the secondary where a canine team conducted an evaluation that resulted in a positive alert. A hand search was conducted which led to the discovery of a fentanyl-filled package weighing 0.24 pounds concealed in the groin area.
On Wednesday, CBP officers conducting exit control operations selected two vehicles traveling together for routine inspection. CBP officers identified anomalies within both vehicles and followed up the inspections with a non-intrusive examination. Additional search resulted in the discovery of a combined 160 rifle magazines and 1,900 rounds of ammunition concealed within the gas tanks of both vehicles. The drivers of the vehicles were a 28-year-old Mexican citizen and a 50-year-old Mexican citizen.
Subjects arrested by CBP officers were turned over to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) for prosecution.
