Nogales, Arizona - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at Arizona’s Port of Nogales arrested a female U.S. citizen in a failed attempt to smuggle half a pound of heroin into the United States Wednesday.
Officers at the DeConcini Pedestrian Crossing referred a 23-year-old woman for further inspection where canine led to the discovery of nearly $8,500 worth of heroin concealed inside the suspect’s crotch.
Officers seized the heroin and arrested the woman, before turning her over to Homeland Security Investigations.
Federal law allows officers to charge individuals by complaint, a method that allows for 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.