see also: in February 2002:   U.S. Customs Airspace Security Effort at 2002 Winter Olympics A Success   U.S. Customs Inspectors Apprehend Fugitives Wanted by FBI on Murder Charges in Oklahoma   Operation Green Quest Overview   U.S. Customs to Begin Collecting Duties on Imported Costumes on Saturday   U.S. Customs Service Inspectors Seize $100,000 at Sasabe Port of Entry   U.S. Customs Inspectors at World Trade Bridge Seize Nearly Four Tons of Marijuana in Nine Days ...more

contacts for this news release

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Customs agents in Philadelphia today announced the seizure of 4,320 pounds of marijuana after a controlled delivery to New Castle County, Delaware on Saturday, February 22, 2002. Seven individuals were arrested in connection with the delivery and two vehicles and more than $2,600 in currency was seized.

On January 13, 2002, U.S. Customs inspectors at the Port of Baltimore performed an inspection on a container that had arrived from Vera Cruz, Mexico onboard the M/V MSC Katrina. The shipment consisted of 86 pieces of bedroom furniture. Upon further examination, Customs inspectors discovered concealed compartments in the backs of the dressers where the marijuana had been secreted.

The furniture was delivered to a mushroom farm in Avondale, Penn., on January 28, 2002, and unloaded into a storage facility. U.S. Customs agents, with the assistance of other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, placed the shipment under round-the-clock surveillance.

On February 8, 2002, the conspirators moved the furniture to another location in the New Castle, Del., area. U.S. Customs agents and other law enforcement agencies again established surveillance at this location.

Two weeks later, on February 22, 2002, seven individuals, utilizing two rental trucks, arrived at the New Castle location and, while moving the furniture from the trailer into the rental trucks, were arrested.

Further examination of the furniture revealed 384 individual packages of marijuana, a total of 4,320 pounds, hidden within the furniture. The estimated wholesale value of the marijuana is $2.5 million, and the estimated street value is in excess of $4 million.

Arrested on February 22, 2002 were: Rogelio CHAVEZ-RAMIREZ of Dallas, Tex.; Miguel DESIDERIO-AQUINO of Los Angeles, Calif.; Nathaniel RODRIGUEZ of Reading, Penn.; Adrian RAMIREZ-ELIAS of Guadalajara, Mexico; Luis Alejandro PENA CARDENAS of Lennox, Calif.; Manuel RAMIREZ-MEZA of Guadalajara, Mexico; and Cesar MUNOZ of Reading, Penn. All seven individuals made their initial court appearance on Monday, February 25 in U.S. District Court in Wilmington, Del.

Assisting U.S. Customs agents in Philadelphia were the following federal, state and local agencies: United States Attorney's Office - Eastern District of Pennsylvania; United States Attorney's Office - District of Delaware; U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Pennsylvania State Police; Delaware State Police; Immigration and Naturalization Service; Chester County Detectives; Berks County Detectives; Northampton, Pennsylvania Police Department; Bensalem, Pennsylvania Police Department; Warminster, Pennsylvania Police Department; Lower Southampton, Pennsylvania Police Department; Upper Southampton, Pennsylvania Police Department; Chester County Emergency Services; Pennsylvania National Guard; Delaware National Guard; and the Philadelphia/Camden High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.

The supplier of the marijuana and ultimate destination for the drugs are presently unknown. The investigation is continuing.

Photo-op between 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. today: The marijuana and a representative sample of the furniture are available for viewing today at the U.S. Customhouse, located at 220 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia. Please contact the U.S. Customs Service Resident Agent in Charge at (215) 597-4305 for further details concerning the viewing.