TUCSON, Ariz. – Tucson Sector Border Patrol agents assigned to the Interstate 19 checkpoint near Amado recently found three illegal migrants in the trunk of one vehicle and, during another encounter, seized several bundles of cocaine found in the door panels of a pick-up truck.
The first event occurred Monday morning when agents working with a Border Patrol canine discovered three adult Mexican nationals in the trunk of a Hyundai Sonata. Agents arrested the driver, a U. S. citizen who now faces federal charges. The Mexican nationals are being processed in accordance with agency guidelines.
Agents referred the driver of a Chevrolet pick-up truck for secondary inspection after a Border Patrol canine alert. A subsequent search of the vehicle turned up several packages of cocaine weighing more than over 55 pounds, valued in excess of $630,000. The driver was arrested and faces drug smuggling charges.
Checkpoints remain a critical piece of infrastructure for U.S. Customs and Border Protection; considered highly effective in halting the flow of contraband and other illegal traffic into the United States.
Federal law allows the Border Patrol to charge individuals by complaint, a method that allows the filing of charges for criminal activity without inferring guilt. An individual is presumed innocent unless and until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Customs and Border Protection welcomes assistance from the community. Citizens can report suspicious activity to the Border Patrol by calling 1-877-872-7435 toll free. All calls will be answered and remain anonymous.