PRESIDIO, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations officers working at the Presidio port of entry seized 40 pounds of marijuana Sunday afternoon. The marijuana was hidden in the rear quarter panel of a 1996 Honda Accord.
The seizure was made at approximately 3:30 p.m. Sunday when a 20-year-old-male United States citizen driving a green Honda Accord made entry. The driver was accompanied by his 21-year-old girlfriend and her young child. The couple were returning from a doctor’s visit and heading home to Odessa, Texas.
The primary CBP officer referred the vehicle for an x-ray examination where anomalies were observed in the rear driver side quarter panels. Narcotics detector dog Edy was utilized and alerted to the presence of narcotics. Inspection of the quarter panels resulted in the extraction of 37 brown taped bundles containing a green leafy substance. A field test of the substance tested positive for the properties of marijuana.
CBP officers arrested both the driver and passenger of the vehicle and the child was turned over to family relatives. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement HSI special agents took custody of the couple to face federal charges in connection with the failed smuggling attempt.
“Smugglers attempt to blend in with legitimate traffic especially during heavy traffic flows such as on Sundays,” said Michael Neipert, CBP Presidio Port Director. “CBP officers are well trained in their jobs and are highly capable in sorting out travelers pursuing illegal activity.”
While anti-terrorism is the primary mission of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the inspection process at the ports of entry associated with this mission results in impressive numbers of enforcement actions in all categories.
credit:cbp.gov
