see also: in October 2005 Press Releases:   CBP Border Patrol Agents Seize Over 1030 Pounds of Marijuana and Arrest a Wanted Fugitive   Border Patrol Agent Assaulted at Checkpoint   U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers Seize Over 104 Lbs. of Cocaine   CBP South Florida Ports of Entry Update   CBP Provides Assistance with Hurricane Wilma Fuel Crisis   United States – Australia Join Efforts To Validate Travel Documents   CBP Miami Field Office Post Hurricane Wilma Operations ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers

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NOGALES, AZ - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers with the Office of Field Operations at the Nogales Port of Entry seized over 60 pounds of cocaine, 100 pounds of marijuana, and 2 pounds of methamphetamines in several incidents this week. The narcotics are estimated to be valued at almost $600,000.

On Sunday, CBP officers seized almost 16 pounds of marijuana from a 29-year-old man from Nogales, Mexico after “Rocksy,” a narcotics detector dog, alerted to the odor of marijuana in the spare tire of a 1989 Chevy Celebrity. When officers put the tire through an X-Ray machine, they discovered what appeared to be packages inside. They took the tire apart and found 15 packages, weighing almost 16 pounds, hidden inside.

On Monday, Customs and Border Protection officers seized almost 29 pounds of cocaine when a 28-year-old man from Nogales, Mexico attempted to smuggle the narcotics into the country while driving a 1996 Ford Taurus through the Deconcini port of entry. After the driver became nervous during routine questioning, CBP officers searched the vehicle and discovered 11 packages of cocaine hidden in the trunk of the car. The driver was arrested.

Also on Monday, CBP officers seized 64 packages (almost 90 pounds) of marijuana from a 33-year-old man from Nogales, Mexico. When officers were looking at a 1986 Chevy S-10, they noticed that the bed looked thicker than normal, so they decided to have a drug dog, “Reno,” screen the truck. When “Reno” indicated that the odor of narcotics was present, officers searched the vehicle and discovered the marijuana in a compartment built into the bed of the pickup.

A second cocaine seizure occurred on Tuesday, at a little after 1:00 pm, when a 29-year-old man from Nogales, Mexico attempted to smuggle the cocaine hidden in a 1994 Chevy pickup. CBP officers searched the vehicle after a drug dog, “Herta,” gave a positive response to narcotics odor. The officers discovered 13 packages (almost 33 pounds) of cocaine hidden inside the vehicle. The driver was arrested.

On Wednesday, a 26-year-old man from Fullerton, California was arrested at the Nogales port of entry after he attempted to smuggle in almost 2 pounds of methamphetamines hidden under his clothing. CBP officers noticed that the man was acting nervous and his clothing didn’t look right, so they searched him and found 2 packages of methamphetamines strapped to his body.

The local value is estimated to be almost $500,000 for the cocaine, $77,000 for the marijuana, and $13,000 for the methamphetamines.

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.