Lukeville, Arizona - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at Arizona’s Port of Lukeville arrested a Lukeville resident, and seized more than 500 pounds of marijuana, with a street value of almost $255,000 Monday.
Officers referred the 45-year-old U.S. citizen for further inspection of his Dodge truck and camping trailer when he attempted to enter the United States from Mexico. Subsequently, a CBP narcotics detection canine alerted to an odor it was trained to detect, leading officers to the smuggled drugs inside the trailer.
Customs and Border Protection officers seized the contraband, truck, and trailer. The arrested subject was turned over 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.