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San Ysidro, CA - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers conducting border enforcement operations at the San Ysidro port of entry intercepted more than 38 pounds of black tar heroin and arrested a Tijuana woman yesterday, officials announced today. The street value of the seized heroin is estimated to be worth $700,000.

CBP officers encountered a 33-year old the Mexican citizen driving a Nissan X-terra as she waited in line to be inspected to enter the United States at about 1:30 p.m. CBP officers conducting pre-primary roving operations noticed irregularities with the undercarriage of the vehicle and escorted it and the driver to the secondary lot for a more in-depth inspection.

During the thorough inspection, CBP officers discovered and extracted 11 packages of heroin from the gas tank.

The driver was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and was transported to the Metropolitan Correctional Center to await arraignment. The vehicle was seized by CBP officers.

In Fiscal Year 2005 CBP Officers in the Port of San Ysidro, California, which encompasses the Otay Mesa passenger border station, arrested over 1,100 fugitives, seized over 140,000 pounds of narcotics and apprehended 60,000 individuals attempting to illegally enter the United States. For the current fiscal year, starting October 1, 2005 through June 2006, CBP officers at the Port of San Ysidro have seized a total of almost 102,000 pounds of narcotics.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 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.