San Diego — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at San Diego area border crossings recently confiscated more than 8,800 pounds of marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine valued at $8.2 million and stopped the entry of more than 116 inadmissible aliens.
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“The
fact that the port and field office are still maintaining an excellent
enforcement posture given the challenges faced this week is a true
credit to the Port of San Ysidro, the San Diego Field Office, and to
Customs and Border Protection as a whole,” said Kevin McAleenan, CBP
Office of Field Operations Deputy Assistant Commissioner.
The
largest seizure occurred at 9 a.m. on September 15, in the Otay Mesa
cargo facility after a 29-year-old male Mexican citizen, driving a 1996
Kenworth tractor pulling a trailer, entered the port with cargo
manifested as plastic materials. During questioning, the CBP officer
noticed inconsistencies with the driver’s answers and referred the
driver and conveyance for an intensive examination.
.
CBP
officers unloaded the merchandise, opened the boxes and discovered 404
large wrapped packages of marijuana, weighing 7,903 pounds. CBP arrested
the driver and seized the marijuana and tractor-trailer.
On
September 14, CBP officers screening pedestrian travelers at the San
Ysidro port of entry stopped a 54-year-old male U.S. citizen for
questioning at 11 p.m. CBP officers subsequently found six packages of
marijuana, weighing seven pounds, taped to the man’s abdomen and thighs.
CBP officers arrested the man and seized the marijuana.
Also
on September 14, at the nearby Otay Mesa passenger port, a CBP officer
screening vehicle and travelers targeted a 34-year-old female U.S.
citizen driving a 1999 Ford Explorer. The officer noticed her nervous
demeanor and escorted her and the vehicle for a more in-depth
examination.
CBP officers ran the
Explorer through the port’s imaging system which revealed anomalies
within all four tires. Officers cut open all four tires and discovered
metal canisters wrapped around the rims containing 158 pounds of
marijuana. CBP officers arrested the woman and seized both the vehicle
and marijuana.
On September 15 at the
San Ysidro border crossing, a canine team was screening vehicles waiting
to enter the United States when a detector dog alerted to a 2004 Ford
Ranger driven by a 22-year-old male U.S. citizen. CBP officers escorted
the man and vehicle for further inspection where they discovered 17
wrapped packages of methamphetamine weighing 39 pounds inside the gas
tank of the pickup truck.
CBP officers arrested the man and seized the vehicle and methamphetamine.
CBP
officers also stopped 116 illegal aliens who attempted to illegally
enter the country by hiding within vehicles; presenting fraudulent
documents; or presenting valid documents not legally issued to them.
Some individuals had also been previously deported.
At
about 10:45 a.m. on September 14, there was a collapse of scaffolding
being used for construction at the San Ysidro port of entry. The
collapse occurred just north of the primary inspection booths in the
U.S. To safeguard the public and CBP personnel, the port was closed
until the situation could be resolved.
CBP
officers immediately secured the port and remained vigilant to stop any
illegal activity. At 6:30 p.m., CBP began processing pedestrian traffic
again at the San Ysidro port of entry and at midnight re-opened 13
vehicle lanes to begin processing travelers. CBP also re-opened the lane
used to process bus traffic.
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