see also: in October 2008:   Mexican Military Makes Accidental Incursion into the U.S.   CBP Officers Apprehend Illegal Alien Hidden on Rail Car   Border Patrol Agents Make Several Drug Seizures Near Laredo   CBP Officers at the Calexico Downtown Port of Entry Intercept Cocaine Smuggling Attempt   CBP to Open Andrade Port of Entry Earlier During Agriculture Harvest Season   Layered Enforcement Snags U.S. Citizen, Foils 3 Smuggling Attempts   CBP Announces Online Method for Meeting SENTRI Vehicle Requirements ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers

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Douglas, Ariz. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers arrest a woman in conjunction with a failed drug smuggling attempt of over 300 pounds of marijuana hidden within elaborately made compartments concealed in the vehicle she was driving. The street value was estimated at over $120,000.

On Wednesday around 9:15 p.m., a 25-year-old woman who was identified as a Mexican national, was driving a red Chevy Silverado pick-up truck. The woman applied for entry into the United States through the vehicle primary lanes. A Customs and Border Protection officer screening travelers waiting to enter the U.S. selected the woman and her vehicle for inspection.

The woman was escorted to the vehicle secondary inspection area where the officers conducted an intensive search with the assistance of a narcotic detector dog. The dog alerted the officers to the gas tank and tires of the vehicle. Further inspection revealed five elaborately made stainless steal boxes that were welded with precession so as to be airtight and configured to fit the inside contour of the gas tank. The tank was then filled with fuel.

The tires, including the spare, contained metal collars that were securely fastened to the rims allowing the tires to be properly inflated. All compartments contained tightly compressed marijuana. A total of 316 pounds of marijuana was removed from these compartments.

The marijuana and vehicle were seized and the woman was turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for further investigation.

A criminal complaint is simply the method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

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.