Photo Credit: Rick Pauza

CEO Jose Abano and Harley shining in South Texas sun.

U.S. Customs Canine Enforcement Officer (CEO) Jose "J.V." Abano is a portrait of heroism both on the job and for his family. This Laredo-based CEO has earned numerous awards for his seizure activity, and recently, his instincts, coupled with a positive alert from his narcotics detector dog "Harley," resulted in the biggest seizure of his career: 59 pounds of heroin.

When he's off-duty from America's Frontline, he goes to the front lines for his family as well. Abano recently donated one of his kidneys to his ailing brother.

After a brief recovery period following the operation that saved his brother's life, Abano was back in action for Customs. It wasn't too long after his return to duty that he found the biggest narcotics load of his life.

The seizure developed from bizarre circumstances. On December 17, 2000, a would-be heroin smuggler thought he had made it past Customs at the Gateway to the Americas Bridge in Laredo, Texas, when suddenly his pickup truck ran out of gas just past the primary booths.

Abano targeted the pickup for an intensive examination. Soon afterward, Abano and "Harley" conducted a full canine search that resulted in a positive alert to the dashboard. A scan by the mobile truck X-ray confirmed Abano's suspicions. Shortly thereafter, Abano and the inspectors dismantled the dash and removed bundles containing 59 pounds of black-tar heroin.

At the time, this was Customs largest heroin seizure ever on the Texas-Mexico border. This formidable record was broken two weeks later by a 92-pound heroin seizure in Del Rio, another success story. Regardless of the load's size, Abano says finding the drugs amid a thicket of vehicles keeps him motivated. "My satisfaction is getting the drugs off the street," says Abano. "We have seen the devastating effect it has on people."

To recognize Abano's achievement in the enforcement arena, Maria Reba, former Director of Field Operations for South Texas, prior to her retirement named Abano CEO of the Year for 2000. Abano also earned CEO of the Quarter awards twice in fiscal year 2000.

Abano, in his five years as a CEO for Customs, has seized a total of 3,817 pounds of marijuana, 158 pounds of cocaine, and 59 pounds of heroin. The seizures resulted in 30 arrests and seizures of property valued at $184,100.

Among some of his more notable seizures were 827 pounds of marijuana hidden in the roof of a van and 324 pounds of marijuana hidden in the trunk of a 1954 Ford racecar towed by a wrecker truck. Both seizures occurred in November 1999. In May 2000, Abano and "Harley" teamed up to seize nearly 50 pounds of cocaine hidden in the fenders of a 1988 Chevy Cavalier. Abano also is credited with targeting a 1993 Dodge pickup loaded with 56 pounds of cocaine and 6.6 pounds of heroin in the gas tank in May 1999.

Abano compares the day-to-day search for drugs to playing cat and mouse:"I like the game of hide and seek. The smugglers are trying to hide it, we're trying to find it. The dogs are very effective tools."

The CEO enjoys his close working relationship with "Harley," a six-year-old black Labrador. Says Abano, "Harley is the best partner in the world. We have really connected. He is very close to me. He has made my job and my career very interesting."