CBP snags $4 million in pot in San Luis

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized $4 million in marijuana at the San Luis Port of Entry in two separate drug busts late last week, the second-highest seizure recorded.

“Our officers remain forever diligent in their primary mission of protecting our great nation from terrorists and weapons of terror, while facilitating legal trade and travel," said Assistant Port Director John Schwamm. "With the combined use of technology and their unique abilities to quickly identify and respond to rapidly changing scenarios, our CBP Officers consistently demonstrate the highest level of professionalism and expertise in defending and protecting our Nations borders. They simply do an incredible and outstanding job."

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman Brian Levin, the largest-ever seizure at the port occurred this year on Jan. 17, when officers seized 3,043 pounds of marijuana which had a street value just under $5 million.

"We are actually seeing an increase in the amount of marijuana and other illegal drugs trying to be smuggled through the port," Levin said.

The first and larger seizure happened just after 3:00 p.m. on Thursday when a 1997 Freightliner semi-truck pulling an empty trailer entered the San Luis, Ariz. commercial facility.

A CBP officer at the primary gate that receives entry shipments referred the driver along with his truck and trailer to the mobile X-ray truck for inspection based on answers received from the driver.

"In this case it was a matter of the officer talking to the driving and the information he gave not adding up," Levin said. "Even when we see and empty trailer, we look at it as how could it be used to smuggle drugs."

A team of officers using the mobile X-ray system scanned the truck and trailer and discovered irregularities with the roof of the trailer.

The officers then conducted an intensive inspection, with the assistance of a narcotic detector dog, and discovered the trailer had 428 packages of marijuana, weighing 2,369 pounds, hidden inside a compartment in the roof.

"It's not unusual for drug dealers to to try and find new ways to try to smuggle drugs into the country," Levin said. "They are imaginative and have tremendous resources."

The driver was immediately arrested and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for further investigation and the vehicle and drugs were seized.

The second seizure occurred on Friday just after 1 p.m., when a 66-year old U.S. citizen was arrested in connection with a failed attempt at smuggling 136 pounds of marijuana in a Nissan Stanza.

"What we tend to see at ports now is more smaller seizures then larger ones," Levin said. "Drug dealers are trying to use smaller vehicles that blend in with other vehicles crossing at the port."

He added that, "But the commercial trucks pose more of a threat of larger quantities of illegal drugs entering the country at one time."

A CBP officer processing travelers entering the U.S. from Mexico referred the driver to the vehicle secondary lot for further inspection where officers discovered the rear cargo area to have a non-factory compartment with 52 packages of marijuana concealed within it.