Pubdate: Tue, 15 Nov 2005
Source: Arizona Daily Star (AZ)
Copyright: 2005 Pulitzer Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.azstarnet.com/star/today/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/23
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

BIG DRUG BUSTS MADE AT NOGALES, DOUGLAS

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized more than 58 
pounds of methamphetamine, 18 pounds of cocaine and 100 pounds of 
marijuana during the weekend at ports of entry in Nogales, Ariz.

On Friday, officers at the Mariposa Port of Entry seized more than 32 
pounds of meth from a 20-year-old Nogales, Sonora, man as he tried to 
smuggle the drugs across in a 1989 Ford van, according to a news 
release from Customs and Border Protection. The van was searched 
after a narcotics dog named Max alerted officers. The 20 packages of 
meth were discovered hidden inside the walls of the van. The driver 
was arrested.

On Saturday, officers found about 18 pounds of cocaine hidden in a 
2004 Ford Focus as it attempted to cross at the DeConcini Port of 
Entry. The drugs were found when a narcotics dog named Trouble 
alerted officers. The 24-year-old driver from Hermosillo, Sonora, was 
arrested, according to the news release.

On Sunday, Customs and Border Protection officers at the DeConcini 
port seized 26 pounds of meth that a 19-year-old man from Nogales, 
Sonora, was trying to bring across in a Honda CR-V. Max alerted 
officers to the presence, and the SUV was searched. Officers found 25 
packages of meth. The driver was arrested.

Also Sunday morning, officers at the Mariposa and DeConcini ports 
seized more than 100 pounds of marijuana in two incidents.

In other incidents during the weekend, officers at the Douglas Port 
of Entry seized about 400 pounds of marijuana and arrested six people 
in attempted-smuggling efforts.

The largest of the seizures occurred Saturday when two men from 
Phoenix were arrested while trying to smuggle 217 pounds of pot 
across, said a Customs and Border Protection news release. The drugs 
were found hidden in the gas tank of a 1998 Chevrolet Suburban. A 
drug dog named Jessy alerted officers, prompting them to search the SUV.
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