CBP Officers Seize $157,000 in Marijuana at Laredo Port of Entry
Written by admin, Aug 25, 2009, 0 Comments
Courtesy Richard Pauza,
LAREDO, TEXAS –U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Laredo Port of Entry seized 157 pounds of marijuana during a routine inspection. The marijuana seizure occurred on Monday, August 24, 2009 at the Gateway to the Americas International Bridge. A CBP officer referred a 2003 GMC Sierra pickup driven by Fernando Arturo Martinez, a 20-year-old male U.S. citizen from Laredo, Texas for a secondary inspection. CBP officers noticed discrepancies in the fuel tank during the secondary inspection. CBP canine “Max” alerted to the odor of narcotics emanating from the vehicle’s gas tank. CBP officers inspected the interior of the gas tank by utilizing a fiber-optic scope and discovered anomalies inside the gas tank. A non-intrusive imaging system scan also indicated anomalies in the same area. CBP officers conducted an intensive examination of the fuel tank and discovered 20 bundles containing a total of 157 pounds of marijuana. The marijuana has an estimated street value of $157,000. CBP officers arrested Martinez and turned him over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) special agents who investigated the seizure and processed him on federal drug charges. CBP officers seized the narcotics and the vehicle.
“The combination of officer expertise and the use of technology contributed to the interception of this significant load of narcotics,” said Gene Garza, CBP Port Director, Laredo.
