see also: in January 2009:   CBP Officers Discover 957 Pounds of Marijuana in Concrete Pipes   CBP Canine Detects $600,000 Worth of Marijuana at Douglas Port   CBP Officers Seize $80,000 of Marijuana at Naco Port of Entry   Border Patrol Stops Vehicle, Leads to Meth Seizure   CBP Officers at Hidalgo/Reynosa International Bridge Seize Fake $20’s Found during Outbound Inspection   Border Patrol Agents Rescue Woman Injured in Car Accident   U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers Arrest Wanted Sex Offender ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers

contacts for this news release

Brownsville, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection Field Operations officers at the Brownsville and Matamoros International Bridge discovered $147,000 in marijuana hidden within the gas tank of a Chevrolet 1500 pickup truck; one U.S. citizen was arrested.

On Thursday at 11:57 a.m., at the Brownsville and Matamoros International Bridge, CBP Field Operations officers referred a white 2001 Chevrolet 1500 pickup driven by Antonio Orozco Torres, a 59-year-old U.S. citizen and resident of San Bruno, California for a secondary inspection. CBP Field Operations officers’ inspection of the Chevrolet revealed irregularity to the gas tank of the Chevrolet.

“Brenda,” a narcotic detector dog, further substantiated CBP Field Operations officers’ suspicions and alerted officers to the odor of narcotics emanating from the Chevrolet. A non-intrusive imaging system indicated anomalies to gas tank of the Chevrolet 1500. CBP Field Operations officers’ intensive inspection of the Chevrolet revealed 63 packages with a combined weight of more than 147 pounds of marijuana hidden within the gas tank of the Chevrolet.

The marijuana from this seizure has an estimated street value of $147,000. The driver was arrested by CBP Field Operations officers and turned over to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agents who investigated the seizure and will process the driver on federal drug charges.

“Excellent inspectional skill by CBP Field Operations officers contributed to this interception. CBP Field Operations officers are constantly receiving training and this interception is the end result. Job well done,” said Michael Freeman, CBP port director in Brownsville.

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.