Cheeky smuggler stopped by CBP officers

EL PASO, TEXAS – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the Ysleta international crossing in El Paso seized approximately one-third of a pound of methamphetamine March 30. The drugs were hidden on the body of a 26-year-old male U.S. citizen.

“The keen observational skills of a CBP officer resulted in this seizure being made,” said CBP Ysleta Port Director Arnie Gomez. “Body carriers are a challenge however our mix of officer expertise, canine support, and tools and technology all assist us in identifying and stopping these types of smuggling attempts.”

The seizure was made just after 4 a.m. when the man arrived as a pedestrian from Mexico. The primary CBP officer selected the man for a secondary exam following a short interview.

A CBP drug sniffing dog searched the man and provided a positive alert to the scent of narcotics. A CBP officer performed a partial pat down exam and discovered two packages concealed between the man’s buttocks. The contents of the packages tested positive for methamphetamine. The total weight was 0.32 pounds.

CBP officers arrested the driver. He was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations special agents to face 21 U.S. Code § 952 - importation of controlled substance charges.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is America's frontline: the nation's largest law enforcement organization and the world's first unified border management agency. The 65,000+ men and women of CBP protect America on the ground, in the air, and on the seas. We facilitate safe, lawful travel and trade and ensure our country's economic prosperity. We enhance the nation's security through innovation, intelligence, collaboration, and trust.