Customs agents at the Douglas Port of Entry seized marijuana and methamphetamine in four separate incidents, totaling $800,000 in street value.

“This is a significant seizure of narcotics at the port and it exemplifies the training and inspection skills that our officers utilize every day,” said Margaret Baldenegro, CBP assistant port director in Douglas.

On January 22, 2009 around 05:30 a.m., a 38-year-old woman, a Mexican national, was driving a white 1992 Chevy Astro van. As she entered into the inspection lane, an inspector referred her to secondary inspection.

Once in secondary, the vehicle was searched with a non-intrusive imaging device, which revealed anomalies in the fuel tank. Customs and Border Protection officers removed 37 packages of marijuana weighing more than 75 pounds.

At about 6:30 p.m., in a separate drug seizure, an 18-year-old man from Mexico, was driving a 1998 Mitsubishi pick-up. While going through inspection, a Customs agent told him to drive his vehicle into secondary inspection. There, the inspector saw discrepancies in the tires.

A CBP drug sniffing dog also alerted to the odor of narcotics emanating from the tires of the truck. Officers found 20 packages containing 62 pounds of marijuana.

On January 23, just before 6 a.m., a CBP officer was screening travelers entering the U.S. from Mexico. The CBP officer referred a 38-year-old Mexican man driving a 1997 Ford F-150.

Based on the driver’s answers to routine questions and discrepancies with the vehicle, officers searched the vehicle thoroughly and discovered packages hidden throughout the interior of the vehicle. CBP officers found 27 packages of marijuana with a weight of 128 pounds and one package of methamphetamine with a total weight of one pound.

The methamphetamine from this seizure has an estimated street value of over $55,000.00.

On January 24, at 7 a.m., a CBP officer screening incoming vehicles became suspicious of the driver of a 1997chevy suburban and sent him in for further inspection. The driver, a 35-year old Mexican national, became visibly nervous during routine questioning.

At secondary inspection, inspectors found 4 bundles of marijuana concealed in a specially built compartment inside the gas tank. The total weight of the narcotic was 201 pounds of marijuana.

The vehicles, marijuana and methamphetamine were seized and cases were turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for further investigation.

Total estimated street value of the marijuana is $745,000.00.