EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — An 18-year-old man was recently arrested after he allegedly tried to smuggle methamphetamine and fentanyl at the Paso Del Norte international crossing in El Paso, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
CBP says officers working at the Paso Del Norte bridge seized 16.2 pounds of meth and 2.2 pounds of fentanyl on Wednesday, March 26.
The seizure was made just before 1 a.m. Wednesday, when an 18-year-old man, a U.S. citizen, arrived from Mexico in a vehicle.
Officers selected the vehicle for a secondary exam. A CBP drug sniffing dog searched the car and alerted to the vehicle, CBP said.
A scan of the vehicle also identified anomalies in the doors of the car.
CBP officers then removed 14 bundles of meth and one package of fentanyl from the doors.
The man was apprehended and transferred to special agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
HSI is now investigating the incident and the man is facing federal charges related to the importation of controlled substances.
“History has shown that smuggling organizations will use almost anyone to move their contraband into the United States,” said acting CBP El Paso Port Director Arnie Gomez. “We need to remain vigilant at all times because we have seen everyone from teens and senior citizens to families and single travelers all involved in the drug trade.”
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