Wellton, Arizona - U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Wellton Station Interstate 8 Immigration Checkpoint seized more than 42 pounds of hard narcotics in two separate smuggling events Thursday.
In the first event at approximately 8:40 a.m., Wellton Station agents referred a gray XPRESS shuttle van to the secondary inspection area for an immigration check of its passengers. During the inspection, a Border Patrol canine positively alerted to the odor it is trained to detect. One passenger on the van, a male 18-year-old United States citizen residing in Mexico was found to have 1.8 pounds of heroin. The heroin has an estimated value of $20,718.
In the second event at approximately 11:10 a.m., agents sent a gray Ford Expedition to the secondary inspection area after a Border Patrol canine positively alerted to an odor it was trained to detect. A subsequent search of the vehicle discovered 25 bundles with over 40 pounds of methamphetamine. The driver was a 38-year-old United States citizen male from San Luis, Arizona. The narcotics have worth over $125,000.
All subjects were arrested and all contraband was seized.
Federal law allows agents to charge individuals by complaint, a method that allows the filing of criminal activity charges without inferring guilt. An individual is presumed innocent unless or until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Yuma Sector Border Patrol agents effectively combat smuggling organizations attempting to illegally transport people and contraband through southwestern Arizona and California.