MAY 27, 2015
Weekly Arizona Border Report
Douglas CBP Officers Seize $75K in Marijuana
SENTRI Participant Loses Privileges
TUCSON – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers assigned to the Port of Douglas arrested Jose Alberto Acosta-Silvain, 44, of Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico, after discovering nearly 290 pounds of marijuana throughout his Nissan sedan on May 19.
In addition to losing the cargo, worth nearly $145,000, and his vehicle, Acosta’s SENTRI privileges (Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection) were revoked.
Douglas Port Director Margaret Baldenegro said the consequences are twice as significant. “The revocation of SENTRI documents should send a strong message to all members,” she said. “SENTRI is not a free pass. Instead, it is an expedited travel document when used properly through a dedicated crossing lane. But CBP officers can still inspect vehicles being driven by SENTRI cardholders.”
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations took custody of Acosta.
Federal law allows officers to charge individuals by complaint, a method that allows the filing of charges for criminal activity without inferring guilt. An individual is presumed innocent unless and until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
CBP's Office of Field Operations is the primary organization within Homeland Security tasked with an anti-terrorism mission at our nation’s ports. CBP officers screen all people, vehicles and goods entering the United States while facilitating the flow of legitimate trade and travel. Their mission also includes carrying out border-related duties, including narcotics interdiction, enforcing immigration and trade laws, and protecting the nation's food supply and agriculture industry from pests and diseases.
CBP Officers Seize $60K Worth of Meth
TUCSON – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Port of San Luis arrested a Mexican man during a failed attempt to smuggle more than 20 pounds of methamphetamine May 19.
Officers referred Alfredo Garcia, 39, a permanent resident alien living in Somerton, Arizona, for a secondary inspection of his Nissan sedan. After a CBP narcotics-detection canine alerted to the presence of drugs in the vehicle’s gas tank, officers removed 40 packages of methamphetamine valued at more than $60,000.
Officers seized the drugs and vehicle, and referred Garcia to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
Federal law allows officers to charge individuals by complaint, a method that allows the filing of charges for criminal activity without inferring guilt. An individual is presumed innocent unless and until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
CBP's Office of Field Operations is the primary organization within Homeland Security tasked with an anti-terrorism mission at our nation’s ports. CBP officers screen all people, vehicles and goods entering the United States while facilitating the flow of legitimate trade and travel. Their mission also includes carrying out border-related duties, including narcotics interdiction, enforcing immigration and trade laws, and protecting the nation's food supply and agriculture industry from pests and diseases.
Nogales CBP Officers Seize Nearly $1.2M in Drugs
TUCSON – Customs and Border Protection officers arrested three Mexican nationals and five U.S. citizens connected to separate smuggling attempts during a five day period at the Port of Nogales.
Officers at the Dennis DeConcini crossing referred Manuel Antonio Martinez-Cordova,
44, from neighboring Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, for a secondary vehicle inspection of his Chrysler sedan on May 15. A search by officers led to the discovery of more than 15 pounds of cocaine worth in excess of $156,000.
Later that day, officers at the Mariposa crossing referred Luis Antonio Acuna-Frasquillo, 59, of Magdalena, Sonora, Mexico, for an inspection of his Ford sedan. After a CBP narcotics detection canine alerted to the trunk, officers removed 19 bundles of marijuana weighing more than 400 pounds and valued at nearly $202,000.
A day earlier, officers at the DeConcini crossing referred Sergio Eduardo Gonzalez, 25, of Rio Rico and his 21-year-old passenger, Aaron Lopez Molina, of Nogales, Arizona, for further inspection of Gonzalez’ Ford sedan. A narcotics-detection canine alerted officers to more than 27 pounds of heroin, approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine and 2.6 pounds of cocaine. The drugs have a combined value of nearly $473,000.
At about the same time, officers at the Mariposa crossing referred Jesus Lopez-Torres, 37, of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, for further inspection of his Dodge van and found 12 packages of heroin, weighing in excess of 15 pounds and worth nearly $219,000.
On May 17, officers at the Mariposa crossing referred Mary Jane Lopez, 45, of Tucson, for further inspection of her Nissan sedan and located nearly 117 pounds of marijuana, worth more than $58,000.
Earlier that day, officers at the DeConcini crossing referred Yvonne Anita Campa, 26, of Rio Rico, for further inspection of her Mitsubishi sedan. After a narcotics detection canine alerted to the presence of drugs, officers removed 20 packages of meth from a false floor. The drugs weighed more than 25 pounds and are worth more than $76,000.
On May 18, officers at the Mariposa pedestrian crossing referred Tina Marie McFarland, 32, of Phoenix, for questioning. During a search of McFarland, officers found more than two pounds of heroin, valued in excess of $33,000, wrapped around her stomach and in her undergarments.
Officers processed all drugs and vehicles involved, and referred the subjects to U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
Federal law allows officers to charge individuals by complaint, a method that allows the filing of charges for criminal activity without inferring guilt. An individual is presumed innocent unless and until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
CBP's Office of Field Operations is the primary organization within Homeland Security tasked with an anti-terrorism mission at our nation’s ports. CBP officers screen all people, vehicles and goods entering the United States while facilitating the flow of legitimate trade and travel. Their mission also includes carrying out border-related duties, including narcotics interdiction, enforcing immigration and trade laws, and protecting the nation's food supply and agriculture industry from pests and diseases.
It’s a Boy! … Born at Lukeville Port of Entry
TUCSON – A 20-year-old U.S. woman living in Rocky Point, Sonora, Mexico, gave birth to a healthy son Sunday morning, May 17…at the Port of Lukeville.
The woman arrived at the port as a passenger in a Chevrolet SUV and told Customs and Border Protection officers she was nine months pregnant and having contractions.
After officers contacted an Ajo ambulance service, who estimated their travel time to be at least 30 minutes, three CBP officers trained as emergency medical technicians assessed the woman and determined she would probably deliver prior to the ambulance’s arrival. CBP personnel then moved the woman into a secondary pedestrian waiting area to monitor the ‘special’ delivery.
After the woman gave birth at approximately 10 a.m., officers confirmed the new family’s fitness for travel and Ajo Ambulance transported both to a Phoenix hospital. According to hospital medical staff, mother and child are in good health.
CBP’s Tucson Field Office supports the Emergency Medical Technician program, which allows certification of CBP officers at both the state and national level. Lukeville Port Director Peter Bachelier praised the officers and said achieving success as a CBP/EMT requires faith and belief in yourself. “The job requires vision, hard work, determination and dedication,” he said.
“Lukeville’s CBP officers take on this EMT challenge as an additional duty to help save lives.”
The Tucson Field Office falls under the Office of Field Operations, CBP’s primary organization tasked with an anti-terrorism mission at our nation’s ports. CBP officers screen all people, vehicles and goods entering the United States while facilitating the flow of legitimate trade and travel. Their mission also includes carrying out border-related duties, including narcotics interdiction, enforcing immigration and trade laws, and protecting the nation's food supply and agriculture industry from pests and diseases. In addition, they sometimes deliver babies.
Lukeville CBP Officers Seize $80K in Marijuana
TUCSON – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers arrested two male U.S. citizens for attempting to smuggle more than 159 pounds of marijuana through the Port of Lukeville on May 17.
Officers referred Lane Lamar Goudy, 30, of Burlington, Iowa, and his passenger, Todd Joseph Thompson, 19, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for a secondary inspection of the Toyota Camry they were in when they attempted to cross the border. A CBP narcotics-detection canine then alerted officers to the vehicle’s trunk where they found 82 packages of marijuana, weighing more than 159 pounds and worth nearly $80,000.
Officers seized the drugs and vehicle, and referred Goudy and Thompson to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
Federal law allows officers to charge individuals by complaint, a method that allows the filing of charges for criminal activity without inferring guilt. An individual is presumed innocent unless and until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
CBP's Office of Field Operations is the primary organization within Homeland Security tasked with an anti-terrorism mission at our nation’s ports. CBP officers screen all people, vehicles and goods entering the United States while facilitating the flow of legitimate trade and travel. Their mission also includes carrying out border-related duties, including narcotics interdiction, enforcing immigration and trade laws, and protecting the nation's food supply and agriculture industry from pests and diseases.
Douglas CBP Officers Seize $100K in Marijuana
TUCSON – Customs and Border Protection officers arrested a Douglas, Arizona woman and a Mexican man during separate incidents May 17 at the Port of Douglas.
Officers arrested Juan Estrada-Encinas, 46, a legal permanent resident alien living in Tucson, after an inspection of his Ford truck led to the discovery of 92 packages of marijuana weighing nearly 105 pounds and worth more than $52,000.
At about the same time, officers arrested Daniella Viviana Delgado, 19, of Douglas after an inspection of her Ford van led to the discovery of 90 packages of marijuana weighing nearly 96 pounds and worth almost $48,000.
Officers seized all drugs and vehicles, and referred the subjects to Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
Federal law allows officers to charge individuals by complaint, a method that allows the filing of charges for criminal activity without inferring guilt. An individual is presumed innocent unless and until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
CBP's Office of Field Operations is the primary organization within Homeland Security tasked with an anti-terrorism mission at our nation’s ports. CBP officers screen all people, vehicles and goods entering the United States while facilitating the flow of legitimate trade and travel. Their mission also includes carrying out border-related duties, including narcotics interdiction, enforcing immigration and trade laws, and protecting the nation's food supply and agriculture industry from pests and diseases.
San Luis CBP Officers Seize Nearly $50,000 in Meth
TUCSON – Customs and Border Protection officers arrested a Mexican man May 16 attempting to enter the U.S. through the Port of San Luis with almost $50,000 worth of methamphetamine.
After officers selected a GMC SUV, driven by Juan Francisco Nunez-Felix, 46, of San Luis, Rio Colorado, Sonora, Mexico, for further inspection, they found hidden compartments within the vehicle’s rocker panels containing 34 packages of methamphetamine weighing nearly 17 pounds.
Officers processed the vehicle and drugs for seizure, and referred Nunez to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
Federal law allows officers to charge individuals by complaint, a method that allows the filing of charges for criminal activity without inferring guilt. An individual is presumed innocent unless and until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
CBP's Office of Field Operations is the primary organization within Homeland Security tasked with an anti-terrorism mission at our nation’s ports. CBP officers screen all people, vehicles and goods entering the United States while facilitating the flow of legitimate trade and travel. Their mission also includes carrying out border-related duties, including narcotics interdiction, enforcing immigration and trade laws, and protecting the nation's food supply and agriculture industry from pests and diseases.
