see also: in February 2006 News Releases:   CBP Border Patrol Rescues 14 More Illegal Aliens   CBP Border Patrol Agents Seize 1,321 Pounds Of Marijuana   CBP Air and Border Patrol Agents Rescue Five People in Desert   Truck Manifest Certifications Triple in One Week   U.S. Customs and Border Protection Seizes Textile and Wearing Apparel in Buffalo   CBP Border Patrol Agent Rescues Mexican National   CBP Officers in Falcon Dam Prevent Attempt to Illegally Export Wallabies ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers

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Sumas, Wash. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers assigned to the port of entry here seized 29.1 lbs. (13.2 kgs) of the drug MDMA “Ecstasy” concealed in the spare tire of a passenger vehicle on Tuesday, January 31st. Terry Lee Whitney, 39, a Canadian citizen from Lilooet, BC, was arrested and faces federal charges in Seattle. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case.

Whitney was driving a British Columbia plated vehicle upon entering the Sumas inspections area around 11:30 am Tuesday morning. CBP officers discovered the drugs during an extensive secondary inspection of the vehicle and contents. The officers became suspicious of the spare tire and x-ray results of the tire confirmed their suspicions. The tire contained ten packages of the small pink pills. Approximately 51,200 pills were discovered in the sealed bags.

"The ecstasy threat here in the Whatcom county area continues to grow. This seizure and arrest demonstrates CBP's commitment to securing our nation's borders," said CBP Sumas Area Port Director Pat Hinchey. "Narcotics smuggling from British Columbia continues to be a major CBP enforcement priority."

The illicit wholesale value of the ecstasy is $ 512,000, with street value of approximately $ 1 million.

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.