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

contacts for this news release

Laredo, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers conducting border security operations at the Laredo port of entry made two narcotics seizures over the weekend worth more than $280,000 and resulting in the arrest of three people.

The larger of the two seizures occurred on Saturday, when CBP officers encountered Antonio Plancarte, Jr., a 23-year-old U. S. citizen from San Jose, Calif., as he applied for admission into the United States at the Gateway to the Americas Bridge. Further questioning raised the suspicion of CBP officers, and the subject was referred for a secondary enforcement exam.

During the course of the inspection, CBP officers utilized “Grizzly” a narcotics detector dog, who demonstrated a positive alert to the gas tank of the 1992 Chevrolet van that the man was driving. When CBP officers took a closer look at the gas tank area they discovered some discrepancies. The officers next utilized gamma-ray technology to produce a high-resolution scan of the vehicle’s gas tank which pin-pointed the anomaly inside. CBP officers accessed the tank and retrieved two metal containers containing a total weight of 169 pounds of marijuana. The marijuana is valued at $169,000.

The driver was arrested on federal drug violation charges and turned over to special agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement for further investigation and prosecution. The van was also seized.

The other seizure occurred at about 2 p.m. on Sunday, October 5, as CBP officers discovered another two metal containers with 111 pounds of marijuana in the gas tank of 1998 Chevrolet pick-up truck after it entered the United States from Mexico. The driver, Linda Kay Williams, a 45-year-old U.S. citizen from Houston, Texas was referred to the secondary inspection area for a more in-depth inspection.

During the secondary inspection, officers utilized “Raza,” a narcotic detector dog, that alerted to the odor of narcotics coming from the gas tank area of the truck. A closer visual inspection utilizing a fiber-optic scope and an x-ray scan revealed an anomaly within the gas tank. The gas tank contained two metal boxes. CBP officers subsequently extracted 111 pounds of marijuana from the two metal boxes inside the gas tank. The marijuana has an estimated street value of $111,000.

The driver, and her passenger, Randy Noble Boyd, a 53-year-old U. S. citizen from Houston, Texas were arrested by CBP officers for the foiled smuggling attempt. Both were turned over to ICE special agents and remanded to the Webb County Jail to await an appearance before a U. S. Federal Magistrate. The truck and marijuana were seized by CBP officers.

“The due diligence of our CBP officers in conducting primary and secondary inspections in the port of Laredo is what led to the these very notable enforcement actions,” said Gene Garza, CBP port director in Laredo. “Once again the combination of our technology, canines and officers’ vigilance proves its effectiveness.”

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.