CBP Officers at Eagle Pass Port of Entry Seize Ammunition, Cocaine Valued at $888,000 in Two Separate Seizures This Week
Written by Post Public Information Representative, Oct 20, 2009, 0 Comments
Courtesy Richard Pauza,
EAGLE PASS, TEXAS – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry seized 40 rounds of hidden rifle ammunition and seized nearly 28 pounds of cocaine valued at $888,000 in two separate, unrelated enforcement actions this week.
The latest seizure occurred on Oct. 15 at Bridge II. A CBP officer referred a 2006 Toyota Tacoma driven by Alejandro Rodriguez Valero, 32, a Mexican citizen from Nueva Rosita, Coahuila , Mexico for a secondary examination. During the examination, CBP officers detected discrepancies in the floorboard area. CBP Canine “TI” alerted to the odor of narcotics emanating from the vehicle. A non-intrusive imaging system indicated anomalies in the rear floorboard area. CBP officers conducted an intensive examination inspection and discovered 11 packages containing a total of nearly 28 pounds of cocaine in the rear floorboard area. The cocaine had an estimated street value of $888,000. CBP officers arrested Rodriguez Valero 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.
The other seizure occurred on Oct. 14 during an outbound examination at Bridge II. A CBP officer referred a 1997 Ford F-150 pickup truck driven by Robert Flores Lopez, 23, a U.S. citizen from Eagle Pass , Texas for a secondary outbound examination. The driver gave a negative declaration for currency in excess of $10,000 weapons or ammunition. As the exam progressed, CBP officers discovered .270-caliber Remington bullets in a boot within the vehicle further examination reveled additional .270-caliber rounds in his pockets. CBP officers seized a total of 40 rounds of undeclared .270-caliber Remington ammunition. CBP officers arrested Flores Lopez and turned him over to ICE special agents who investigated the seizure and processed him on federal charges for failure to file an export license for items on the U.S. munitions list.
“These significant seizures of hard narcotics and undeclared ammunition this week underscore the importance of the border security mission that our frontline officers are committed to uphold every day,” said Severiano Solis, Acting CBP Port Director, Eagle Pass.
