Yuma News Now

Naco, Arizona - Customs and Border Protection officers foiled a sophisticated smuggling attempt at the Naco port of entry yesterday when they discovered 1,595 packages of marijuana hidden inside wooden entertainment centers coming from Mexico.

"This type of deep, sophisticated concealment is a sign of how much effort drug trafficking organizations must go through in an attempt to smuggle illicit drugs past our officers,” said Port Director Al Acuna, “Our officers have proven they are up to the challenge."

At just before noon on August 19, CBP officers screening commercial importations from Mexico entering through the Naco port of entry chose a shipment of wooden entertainment centers for intensive inspection based on suspicions raised during an examination of paperwork, questions asked of the driver and a quick inspection of the items.

Officers conducting a thorough inspection of one of the entertainment centers discovered packages of marijuana hidden within the structure of the piece, and as they continued their inspection of the other items, discovered they were all concealing packages of marijuana.

Over a period of several hours, officers disassembled the furniture and removed 1,595 packages of marijuana, weighing almost 1,650 pounds. Estimated street value of the seized drugs is more than $2.7 million.

The driver of the vehicle was arrested and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for further investigation.