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Once again, U.S. Border Protection (CBP) officers have been busy interdicting drug smuggling activity. A recent article reported on two incidents resulting in the seizure of more than $800,000 in illicit drugs at the Port of San Luis.
On January 29 officers encountered a man in a Chevrolet sedan coming from Mexico. The driver was a United States citizen who was referred for a second examination.
The inspection utilized a non-intrusive technology for vehicle screening. A canine was brought in to search the car and alerted officers to the presence of drugs under the floor of the sedan.
Twelve packages containing 117 pounds of methamphetamines were discovered beneath the sedan’s carpet floor.
Another seizure followed the next day, January 30, when a 42-year-old man in a Ford truck was also coming from Mexico. This time, it was a Mexican citizen and Legal Permanent Resident.
Once the officers referred the suspect for further evaluation, a CBP canine alerted them to the presence of drugs in the truck. As they examined the vehicle, they found 69 pounds of cocaine in the speaker box.
The total street value of the drugs seized during the two events was $805,359. These are significant seizures, especially within a two-day timeframe.
One of the factors lending assistance may be that federal law allows individuals to be charged by complaint, which means filing charges of criminal activity without claiming a party’s guilt. The person is still considered innocent until evidence is shown to a jury.
The process also allows officers to seize the drugs and autos while turning the drivers over to the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
One takeaway could also be that having CBP at the front lines is helping to minimize the entrance of dangerous and illegal substances into the U.S. Their screening measures are not only non-invasive but help protect the safety of United States citizens.
Meth and cocaine are a leading cause of drug addiction in the United States. Those who are experiencing dependency often require high level support which may include medical detox. Depending on the severity of the condition persons withdrawing from stimulants may require inpatient care. But if you’re medically stable, it’s also sometimes possible to receive treatment on an outpatient basis.
