Drug smuggling

CBP Officers Seize 20 lbs of Heroin at Del Rio Port of Entry

“Smugglers continue to use elaborate methods to try to smuggle their drugs into the country,” said Port Director Alberto D. Perez, Del Rio Port of Entry. “This seizure is yet another illustration of the professionalism and dedication our frontline CBP officers put forth on a daily basis.”

On Sept. 26, CBP officers at the Del Rio Port of Entry inspected a 2007 GMC Yukon, driven by a 39-year-old Del Rio man, accompanied by his three minor children, as it arrived in the United States from Mexico.

During inspection, officers examined a fire extinguisher found inside the vehicle. Following an X-ray scan and alert by a CBP canine, officers cut open the fire extinguisher to find four and a half pounds of suspected heroin inside. Further inspection revealed 10 wooden slats in the cargo area of the vehicle. CBP officers discovered the slats to be hollow, containing 238 packages of suspected heroin, totaling more than 16 pounds. In all, CBP officers seized 20.7 pounds of suspected heroin, with an estimated value of $828,929.

The driver was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations for federal prosecution. His children were released to their mother.