CBP Officers, Agriculture Specialists in South Texas Seize Large Amounts of Narcotics, Currency, Fake Documents, Prohibited Items in FY 2009
Written by Post Public Information Representative, Nov 27, 2009, 0 Comments
Courtesy Richard Pauza,
Laredo, TX – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and agriculture specialists at eight South Texas ports of entry seized a significant amount of narcotics, currency, false documents, and uncovered numerous immigration and agricultural violations during fiscal year 2009. Fiscal Year 2009 began October 1, 2008 and ended Sept. 30, 2009. One key trend was a 200 percent increase in total undeclared currency seized over the previous fiscal year.
In FY 2009, CBP officers working at eight ports of entry extending from Brownsville to Del Rio seized a total of 106,311 pounds of narcotics worth $320 million. This is a 78 increase over the total amount of narcotics seized in Fiscal Year 2008. They made those interceptions while processing 2.2 million commercial trucks, 24.8 million privately-owned vehicles, 67.9 million passengers and pedestrians and 82,939 commercial buses over the same period.
Marijuana seizures led the overall narcotics totals by weight. In FY 2009, CBP officers seized 99,508 pounds of marijuana (nearly double the 53,450 pounds seized last year), 5,990 pounds of cocaine, 193 pounds of heroin and 620 pounds of methamphetamine. CBP officers seized $30.4 million in unreported currency in FY 2009 (a 200 percent increase over the $10.1 million seized in FY 2008).
Besides narcotics, CBP in South Texas also reported annual results of its immigration and agriculture enforcement. CBP officers in FY 2009 determined that a total of 18,164 non-U.S. citizens were inadmissible to the U.S. due to violations of immigration law. CBP apprehended 1,437 people that were wanted on outstanding warrants.
CBP Laredo Field Office in FY 2009 made great strides in the agriculture enforcement categories. CBP officers and agriculture specialists intercepted a total of 21,259 pests. They also made 28,072 interceptions of quarantined animal materials, up 15 percent over the previous year. CBP in South Texas tallied 132,962 interceptions of quarantined plant materials in FY 2009.
Among the more notable CBP enforcement actions for Fiscal Year 2009 in South Texas are the following:
Over a 20-day period from Dec. 18, 2008 through Jan. 6, 2009, CBP agriculture specialists and officers at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry during Operation Posada confiscated 5,621 prohibited agricultural items, intercepted 63 quarantine significant pests, including Mexican fruit fly, Chrysanthemum white rust, guava scab, Asian Citrus Psyllid (a vector of citrus greening disease), liverseed grass, onionweed and various endangered species cacti and issued $4,825 in penalties.
On Feb. 3, 2009, CBP officers at Veterans International Bridge in Brownsville , Texas seized 560 pounds of cocaine hidden in 403 bundles concealed within a manifested shipment of cantera stone hauled by a 1993 Dina tractor. The cocaine has an estimated street value of $18 million. The 32-year-old driver was arrested on federal drug charges.
On Mar. 3, 2009, CBP officers conducting outbound examinations at the Lincoln-Juarez Bridge seized 23 disassembled rifles, two dissembled shotguns, a 9 mm handgun and other gun parts hidden under the bedliner and in the gas tank of a 1996 Ford F-150 pickup. The 30-year-old Oklahoma driver was arrested on federal gun smuggling charges.
On Mar. 19, 2009, CBP officers conducting outbound examinations at the Lincoln-Juarez Bridge seized $3 million in undeclared currency hidden under the floor of a 1998 Dina bus. The seizure remains under investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
On May 09, 2009, CBP officers at Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge in Pharr , Texas seized 340 pounds of methamphetamine in the floor of a tractor trailer hauling a commercial shipment of carrots. The methamphetamine has an estimated street value of $5.1 million. No immediate arrest was made but an investigation by ICE special agents continues. CBP officers seized the drugs and the tractor-trailer.
On May 13, 2009, CBP officers at Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge in Pharr , Texas seized 2,350 pounds of marijuana in 270 bundles concealed inside a commercial shipment of mixed produce. The marijuana has an estimated street value of $1.9 million. No immediate arrest was made but an investigation by ICE special agents continues. CBP officers seized the drugs and the tractor-trailer.
On Sept. 21, 2009, CBP officers at the Veteran’s International Bridge seized 12 gallons of dead scorpions and two gallons of dead ants that were to be encapsulated in Lucite and sold at a flea market. The driver lacked a formal commercial entry and U.S. Fish and Wildlife import documentation to legally import the insects.
On Aug. 19, CBP officers, Border Patrol agents and Maverick County sheriff’s deputies at Bridge I, Eagle Pass Port of Entry referred a pedestrian for a outbound examination. The pedestrian bolted toward Mexico but was soon subdued by CBP officers and Border Patrol agents. Records checks revealed that the 30-year-old Mexican citizen from Monclova had no valid entry documentation, 12 prior apprehensions for immigration violations dating back to 1993 and had served three years in prison after multiple illegal re-entry convictions.
On Sept. 9, 2009, CBP officers at the Del Rio Port of Entry seized nearly 63 pounds of heroin and more than five pounds of methamphetamine hidden in the front wheel wells of a 2007 Dodge Charger. The narcotics have a combined value of $6.3 million. CBP officers arrested the male 24-year-old U.S. citizen driver from Norwalk , Calif. and turned him over to ICE special agents for processing on federal drug charges.
“Our frontline CBP officers, agriculture specialists and import specialists seized a variety of contraband, detected significant immigration, trade law and agriculture violations as our varied success stories illustrate,” said Leticia Moran, Director, CBP Field Operations, Laredo. “The 200 percent increase in undeclared currency seizures is a soaring accomplishment and reflects the effectiveness of our Anti-Terrorism Contraband Enforcement Teams (A-TCET) and enhanced outbound operations working together with Border Patrol agents and other enforcement partners. The 78 percent increase in narcotics seizures by volume underscores the ever-present reality of the drug threat our CBP officers face in South Texas daily and the need to utilize all of our skills, technology and real time intelligence and analysis to keep our border secure.”
