Nogales CBP Officers seize $1.2M of cocaine, arrest 1 in smuggling attempt

TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Port of Nogales arrested a 28-year-old woman from Mexico who was involved in a failed smuggling attempt Monday, June 10.

CBP officers at the Dennis DeConcini Crossing SENTRI lane referred the Dodge sedan for further inspection after a CBP canine alerted to the vehicle as she attempted to enter the United States from Mexico.

A search turned up nearly two dozen packages that were concealed within the vehicle’s rocker panels. The packages held nearly 51 pounds of cocaine, with an estimated value of in excess of $1.2 million.

Both the drugs and vehicle were seized and the woman was arrested and then turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.