see also: in August 2008:   CBP in New York Apprehends Suspected Interpol Fugitive   Louisville CBP Finds Heroin in Woman’s Suit   CBP Officers Nab More than $1 Million in Narcotics in 48-hour Period   Philadelphia CBP Seizes $650,000 in Fake Bank Checks   CBP on a Roll Seizing Fake Handbags, Footwear Again in California   Calexico Downtown Port Officers Intercept $100K Narcotic Smuggling Attempt   CBP Outbound Inspection Yields 293 Unreported Ostrich Skins ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers

contacts for this news release

San Diego – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers had their hands full on Wednesday, August 6, after they seized a total of 720 pounds of marijuana concealed in six vehicles that entered the United States from Mexico at the Otay Mesa, Calif. passenger port of entry.

CBP officers became suspicious after a 60-year-old male U.S. citizen driver arrived at the port at 4:15 a.m. exhibiting signs of nervousness. After a human/narcotics detection dog alerted to his California-plated Dodge Ram and officers obtained unusual readings of the vehicle roof with a density measuring tool, the driver was referred to the secondary inspection lot. CBP officers subsequently removed 54 packages of marijuana that were hidden in the vehicle’s roof. The packages had a combined weight of 245 lbs and were valued at over $110,000.

At approximately 12:15 p.m., a 29-year-old Mexican male applied for admission at the port driving a Mitsubishi pickup. CBP officers noticed an anomaly within the bench seating on the driver’s side. Upon further inspection, CBP officers noticed a compartment underneath the driver’s seat. A total of 42 packages of marijuana weighing about 109 pounds and valued at $49,000 were found in the compartment.

About two hours later, a 2005 Ibiza driven by a 20-year old Mexican male was referred to the secondary inspection lot where CBP officers removed about 96 pounds of marijuana valued at $43,200 from the vehicle quarter panels.

CBP officers noticed the tampered back bumper of a 1994 Honda Civic when it entered the port around 4 p.m. driven by a 21-year old Mexican male. Once in the secondary inspection lot, officers discovered about 63 pounds of marijuana valued at over $28,000.

At 4:35 p.m. a roving CBP officer approached a black GMC Sierra entering the port driven by a 20-year old Mexican male. The officer noticed a non-factory compartment within the floor of the vehicle so it was taken to the secondary inspection lot where 86 pounds of marijuana valued at almost $39,000 were found hidden within the compartment.

Later that evening, a 21-year old female U.S. citizen was detained after CBP officers found 121 pounds of marijuana valued at almost $55,000 hidden in the back rest and seat of a California-plated 1996 Dodge Intrepid after it entered the port around 9:30 p.m. Officers became suspicious after a human/narcotics detector dog of a roving canine team had alerted to the vehicle as it waited in line in the pre-primary area of the port.

In all cases, the vehicles and the narcotics were seized by CBP and the drivers were arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and transported to San Diego Metropolitan Correctional Center to await arraignment.

As of June 30, CBP officers at the six ports of entry on the California/Mexico border have confiscated over 163,000 pounds of narcotics, detected over 34,700 immigrant violations and apprehended a total of 1,506 fugitives so far this fiscal year. The federal fiscal year began October 1, 2007.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.