EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) — An underaged American female allegedly had about a pound and a half of fentanyl when she tried to cross the border earlier this month, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said.
The minor, a U.S. citizen, arrived from Mexico through the pedestrian lanes at the Paso Del Norte Bridge on Feb. 10 in Downtown El Paso.
During a secondary inspection, CBP officers said they found 617.6 grams of fentanyl on her person.
She was one of three border crossers, CBP said, who attempted to smuggle fentanyl through the pedestrian lanes.
Later that day, officers sent a 31-year-old man, also a U.S. citizen, to a secondary inspection, where a pat-down search revealed 221 grams of fentanyl in his groin area, CBP said.
On Feb. 15, a drug-sniffing dog alerted officers to a 40-year-old American woman who allegedly hid just under 200 grams of fentanyl in her vaginal cavity.
Border officers also seized 124 pounds of marijuana hidden in a pickup driven by a 21-year-old man, also a U.S. citizen, on Feb. 10.
Also on Feb. 15, border officers encountered a 33-year-old Mexican man who allegedly had 32 pounds of cocaine hidden in his vehicle.
CBP El Paso Port Director Ray Provencio said border officers remain “ever vigilant” in their enforcement efforts to prevent illicit drugs from entering the country.
“CBP Officers utilize their skill, and various tools and other resources to aid in the successful interception of these dangerous drugs while also facilitating the flow of lawful trade and travel,” he said in a statement.
CBP said the individuals were turned over to either Homeland Security Investigations agents or the Texas Department of Public Safety for prosecution or to be processed accordingly.
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