Yuma News Now

“Regardless of the small quantities of these seizures they are indicative of our officers continued vigilance,” said Port Director William K. Brooks. “We have zero tolerance for violators of our nation’s laws and will prosecute them at the fullest extent of the law.”

Yesterday, a CBP officer screening travelers entering in from Mexico encountered a 15-year-old Mexican teenager who was applying for entry into the U.S. through the pedestrian area. The officer referred the young man into the passport control office due to his nervous behavior during the routine questioning.

Once in the office and during the more intense interview an attentive CBP officer noticed the young man had bulges around his midsection. The bulges turned out to be two packages of marijuana taped to his body under his shirt and jacket, which had a total weight of 1.4 pounds.

The young man was immediately arrested and turned over to the San Luis, Ariz., Police Department for further investigation. The marijuana was seized and turned over to the San Luis Police Department.

Once in the lot, the CBP officers conducted an intensive search of the vehicle assisted by a narcotic detector dog. The dog alerted the officers to the quarter panels and gas tank area of the vehicle where a total of 19 marijuana packages weighed over 22 pounds. The marijuana and vehicle were both seized.

The man was immediately arrested and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for further investigation. The vehicle and marijuana were both seized.

The marijuana has an estimated street value of over $38,000.00.

On Sunday, just after Noon, a 21-year-old Mexican man applied for entry into the U.S. by presenting a birth certificate and state issued drivers license. A CBP officer screening travelers entering in from Mexico noticed the traveler’s nervousness during the routine questioning. The officer referred the man into the passport control office for further inspection and verification of his citizenship.

Once in the office another CBP officer interviewed the man more in-depth and found him not to be the true owner of the documents presented. The man was detained and taken into custody for immigration processing.