see also: in May 2008:   Deputy Chief of the Border Patrol Announces State of the Agency   CBP Celebrates Significant Occasions at Advanced Training Center in West Virginia   CBP to Issue New Frequent Traveler Cards   CBP Races to Secure NASCAR’s Monster Mile   CBP Air and Marine Agents Interdict Migrants in Florida at the Start of Memorial Day Weekend   Border Patrol Agents Rescue 51 Illegal Aliens from Tractor Trailer ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers

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Detroit – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Ambassador Bridge discovered 23.9 kilograms of ecstasy and five kilograms of methamphetamine in the spare tire of a car, attempting to make entry into the U.S. via the NEXUS lane, on Wednesday.

The car, driven by a 35-year-old male Canadian citizen from Whitby, ON, was entering the United States on Wednesday at approximately 1 p.m. using the NEXUS lane at the Ambassador Bridge. The driver told the inspecting officer that he was golfing and that he had nothing to declare.

When the driver was referred to the secondary area for further inspection CBP officers (CBPO) checking the car discovered that the spare tire was extremely clean in comparison with the rest of the undercarriage of the car. Two officers removed the spare tire and discovered that it felt quite heavy. A canine team was requested and upon arrival inspected the car and tire with a positive reaction to the tire. The on duty supervisor authorized the opening of the tire which led to officers finding several plastic bags containing multicolored pills.

The officers removed 14 bags of pills and five bags of an off-white pasty substance from the tire. Field testing of the pills was positive for ecstasy and the pasty substance testes positive for methamphetamine. A total of 23.9 kilos (52 pounds), or approximately 72,900 ecstasy pills, with a street value of approximately $36,450, and five kilos (11 pounds) of methamphetamine were recovered. The driver, his car and the drugs were all turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agents for further investigation.

“This was a participant in one of our trusted traveler programs and he betrayed the trust that was being given to him” said Port Director Roderick Blanchard. “NEXUS offers benefits to travelers and CBP will not tolerate participants who violate the rules and the trust we give them as members of the program.”

NEXUS is a joint frequent traveler program with Canada where applicants voluntarily undergo a background check, in-person interview and fingerprinting, and pay a $50 five-year membership fee. Individuals may submit an online application and pay the membership fee at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website.

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.