Border Crisis: Officers seize fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine at border crossing

EL PASO, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the Bridge of the Americas Border Crossing, intercepted a combined 30.55 pounds of fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine with an estimated street value of more than $312,000.

“CBP officers remain ever vigilant against the drug smuggling threat,” said CBP El Paso Port Director Ray Provencio. “While we arrest drug smugglers on a daily basis, mixed narcotics loads like this one, demonstrate how transnational criminal organizations are involved in distributing all types of narcotics to further their criminal enterprise, while negatively impacting our communities.”

The seizure took place on April 19, when a 20-year-old female U.S. citizen arrived from Mexico via the vehicle lanes. The individual was referred for a secondary inspection of the vehicle which included screening by a CBP canine and a non-intrusive inspection (x-ray). After conducting a thorough examination, CBP officers located multiple packages concealed within the vehicle containing a total of 24.7 pounds of cocaine, 4.75 pounds of fentanyl and 1.1 pounds of methamphetamine.

The narcotics and vehicle were seized by CBP and the individual was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations for further investigation.