see also: in November 2002:   Manhattan Bank Pleads Guilty to U.S. Criminal Charges for Failure to Report $123 Million in Suspicious Cash Deposits   Customs Kicks-Off Trade Symposium 2002   Customs and DOT Launch 'Operation Safe Commerce' Program   U.S. Customs Commissioner Comments on Congressional Approval of a New Department of Homeland Security   U.S. Customs Seizes Marijuana in Tractor Tires;   U.S. Customs Shares Seized Drug Money with State and Local Police and Canadian Law Enforcement ...more on cbp.gov: U.S. Customs Seizes 895 Tons of Illegal Drugs in FY 2001 Customs Seizes 244 Tons of Narcotics During Fiscal Year 2001

contacts for this news release

SAN DIEGO, CA--U.S. Customs Service officers at California's five land border stations on the Mexican border, as well as in the air and on the sea, seized 158.2 tons of narcotics worth $309.8 million during fiscal year 2002 which ended September 30, officials announced today.

The amount seized by U.S. Customs inspectors, special agents, canine enforcement teams and air and marine officers based in San Diego and Imperial counties accounted for over 25 percent of all narcotics confiscated on the southwest border and 20 percent of all drugs seized by U.S. Customs nationwide, officials said.

Area U.S. Customs officers seized 316,463 pounds of narcotics during the fiscal year, a reduction from the previous year when officers seized 488,606 pounds of drugs. As in past years, marijuana confiscations accounted for the bulk of the dangerous drugs with 298,132 pounds seized. Officers also seized or assisted with the seizure of 17,025 pounds of cocaine, 1,021 pounds of methamphetamine and a record-setting 285 pounds of heroin during the fiscal year. Officers also seized $1.6 million in suspected drug proceeds during enforcement operations.

"Although our primary enforcement focus now is on terrorism and weapons of mass destruction, narcotics smuggling has not taken a back seat during the past year," said Nat Aycox, U.S. Customs Service director of field operations for Southern California. "We will continue to ferret out contraband of any type whenever we can and we will continue to work closely with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to protect our community and the nation."

U.S. Customs special agents operating in San Diego and Imperial counties arrested 2,720 people last year for a variety of alleged violations including narcotics smuggling, illegal export of high technology, money laundering and child pornography, according to Miguel Unzueta, acting special agent in charge of the Office of Investigations in San Diego.

"While the prevention of terrorist acts ranks as our number one priority, U.S. Customs continues to aggressively pursue drug smuggling investigations," said Unzueta. "Our unique role and presence at our nation's borders affords us roles in both investigative arenas."

The U.S. Customs air and marine interdiction branch housed at Naval Air Station North Island participated in the seizure of 82,304 pounds of marijuana, 5,912 pounds of cocaine, and 135 pounds of methamphetamine during the fiscal year. According to U.S. Customs Air Marine Branch Chief Daniel DiPentino, the branch's air and marine officers assisted with the arrest of 179 individuals and the seizure of $989,084 in currency.

"The concept of applying the lessons learned in air and marine narcotics enforcement to the precepts of counter-terrorism have become particularly critical," DiPentino said. "The U.S. Customs Air and Marine Interdiction Division is poised to play a key role in our nation's homeland security architecture in partnership with other federal, state and local agencies."

During fiscal year 2002, U.S. Customs offices on the southwest border from San Ysidro, California, to Brownsville, Texas, seized 1,251,160 pounds of illegal drugs, compared to 1,365,026 pounds seized during fiscal year 2001. U.S. Customs seized 1,574,249 pounds of drugs nationwide during FY 2002.