Texas Border: CBP Seize 900 Pounds Of Drugs Worth Over $3.3 Million
This is our home, and to most Texans, the border isn’t a political issue or a tool to use against another political party; this is a safety and security issue, for us, our children, families, friends and our local and national law enforcement…
by Melissa Jewett, Publisher
Below you will find the latest information available for reported drug smuggling, human trafficking and illegal crossings that have occurred on the Texas border and ports over the week of November 8 – November 14, 2018.
It has been published by many news outlets around the country that the criminal activity on our Texas-Mexico border has been consistently dropping over the last couple of years, and Americans and Texans have been given inconsistent information on what is occurring on our border.
Our U.S. border issues are complex, and they affect all Texans. This is our home, and to most Texans, the border isn’t a political issue or a tool to use against another political party; this is a safety and security issue for us, our children, families, friends and our local and national law enforcement.
As you read below, we hope the information provided will help all Texans to better understand the problems happening on our southern border and what we need to do to repair our current immigration laws and policies that stem from our lawmakers in D.C.
However, to better understand if these are real problems or just political bloviation concerning our southern border with drug smuggling, human trafficking of children and adults, unaccompanied children and illegal immigrant crossings that include gang members and many from terrorist countries, we need the real numbers, facts and statistics.
Texas isn’t the only state that shares a border with Mexico. Therefore, as you read our weekly report below, remember this information is only what is occurring on the Texas-Mexico border and Texas ports.
This information has been gathered and compiled directly from information given to us by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which is under the purview of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
As for the accuracy of the information we are providing to you, we can only decipher the information that is released to us. Therefore, the number of incidents, arrests, types of narcotics, weight or the street value of said narcotics is considered the minimum amount.
We give the totals of illegal crossing arrests, including their nationality, drug seizures including weight and “street value” totals, current charges or convictions of those apprehended and other items to help all of us make educated decisions. Additionally, we include links to our other weekly border stories.
All people apprehended by the Border Patrol undergo criminal history checks using biometrics to ensure their criminal histories are positively identified. To report suspicious activity such as alien and/or drug smuggling, contact their website at http://www.cbp.gov. Or follow them on Twitter at @CBPRGV.
The public is encouraged to take a stand against crime in their communities and to help save lives by reporting suspicious activity at 1-800-863-9382.
Read related border coverage:
- Oct. 18, 2018: Texas Border Sector CBP Officers Apprehend 390, Gang Members, Child Sex Offenders And Seize $1.7 Million In Drugs
NOTE: The totals below for arrests, apprehensions, seizures, drugs, etc. are ONLY what is reported by Customs & Border Protection to us. There are multiple incidents that happen everyday on all U.S. borders that aren’t reported. Corridor News is not responsible for what is NOT reported or incorrectly reported.
• Week of Nov. 8 – Nov. 14, 2018 •
Texas Border Reported Arrests/Apprehensions
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Reported Arrests/Apprehensions from the following counties;
• El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, South Africa, Brazil, Nicaragua and USC (U.S. Citizens)
• Arrests/Apprehensions Weekly Total: 148+ (“+”: see note below)
Of those above there were…
• 7 USC (U.S. Citizen(s))
• 2+ Individuals apprehended with active criminal charge(s), warrant(s) or conviction(s)
• 7+ Vehicle(s) Seized (3 were commercial tractor trailers)
• Additional Seizures: Weapons, Drugs, Currency — totals not given
Warrants and/or Prior Criminal Convictions•
Outstanding Warrant:2
• Felony Theft and Probation Violation
• Smuggling
*Note: “+”; U.S. Customs and Border Patrol did not list exact or specific totals or countries on some reported incidents.
Texas Border Weekly Narcotic Seizures & Estimated Street Price
NOTE: The totals below are an estimate. U.S. dollar and pounds used.
• 562.75 lbs.
• $462,866
• 317.86 lbs.
• $2,451,040 Million
• 2 lbs.
• $102,960
• 16.04 lbs.
• $363,685
• Total Weight of Narcotics: 898.65 lbs.
• Estimated Street Value of Narcotics: $3,380,551
Border Patrol seizes Marijuana and Heroin in the Rio Grande Valley
EDINBURG, Texas – U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Rio Grande Valley Sector disrupted three separate narcotic smuggling attempts, resulting in the seizure of more than $340K worth of narcotics.
Thursday evening, agents working in Rio Grande City, Texas, observed multiple subjects carrying bundles of marijuana just north of the Rio Grande.
As agents attempted to arrest the smugglers, they abandoned the marijuana and attempted to abscond. Agents immediately conducted a search of the area and discovered four bundles of marijuana hidden in the brush and two illegal aliens hiding just south of Expressway 83.
The marijuana weighed over 225 pounds and is worth an estimated $182K. Starr County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force took custody of the subjects and narcotics.
Saturday, agents patrolling along the Rio Grande near Roma, Texas, discovered the footprints of several subjects who had illegally entered the United States.
Agents followed the foot sign to an abandoned building and located two bundles of marijuana weighing nearly 95 pounds, worth an estimated $79K. Border Patrol turned over the narcotics to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Sunday afternoon, Kingsville agents working at the Sarita Checkpoint boarded a commercial bus to conduct an immigration inspection on all passengers.
During the inspection, a Border Patrol K-9 alerted to a duffle bag and an article of clothing that were located inside the cabin. A search of the items revealed just over two and half pounds of heroin and eight grams of marijuana. The heroin and marijuana are worth an estimated $81K.
Border Wall Contract Award in Rio Grande Valley, Texas
WASHINGTON – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), has awarded a contract to construct approximately eight miles of levee wall system in the U.S. Border Patrol’s (USBP) Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Sector, funded with CBP’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 appropriations.
The contract for this project, referred to by CBP as RGV-02, was awarded on November 11, 2018, to SLSCO in the amount of approximately $167M. Construction is scheduled to begin in February 2019.
The RGV-02 project consists of five segments located south of Alamo, Donna, Weslaco, Progreso and Mercedes, Texas within Hidalgo County.
This project includes the construction and installation of tactical infrastructure including a reinforced concrete levee wall to the height of the existing levee, 18-foot tall steel bollards installed on top of the concrete wall and vegetation removal along a 150-foot enforcement zone throughout the approximately eight miles of levee wall system.
The levee wall system will include detection technology, lighting, video surveillance, and an all-weather patrol road parallel to the levee wall.
The RGV Sector remains an area of high illegal cross border activity. In FY 2017, USBP apprehended over 137,000 illegal aliens and seized approximately 260,000 pounds of marijuana and approximately 1,192 pounds of cocaine in the RGV Sector.
Once constructed, this levee wall system will serve as a persistent impediment to transnational criminal organizations, while still allowing river access for property owners, other federal/state/local officials, local emergency responders and USBP.
CBP continues to implement President Trump’s Executive Order 13767 – also known as Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements – and continues to take steps to expeditiously plan, design and construct a physical wall using appropriate materials and technology to most effectively achieve operational control of the southern border.
Pursuit Ensues at Border Patrol Checkpoint and Yields 52 Illegal Aliens Concealed inside a Trailer
LAREDO, Texas – Laredo Sector Border Patrol agents discovered 52 illegal aliens concealed inside a trailer after a brief pursuit of a tractor on IH-35.
The incident occurred during the mid-afternoon on November 9, when a tractor trailer that was being inspected at the checkpoint on IH-35, fled the secondary inspection area.
The agents immediately pursued the tractor which subsequently collided with a Service vehicle and came to a stop several miles north of the checkpoint.
The agents arrested the driver, later identified as a United States citizen and discovered 52 illegal aliens concealed in the trailer. The illegal aliens were determined to be from the countries of Mexico, Brazil and Guatemala.
All subjects were taken into custody for processing. The tractor and trailer used in the smuggling attempt were seized by the Laredo Sector Border Patrol.
CBP Field Operations Seizes Close to $500K in Cocaine in Productive Weekend at Mid-Valley International Bridges
PHARR, Texas— U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (OFO) at the Pharr and Hidalgo International Bridges seized $443,000 worth of cocaine in three separate, unrelated incidents and arrested four people in connection with the failed drug smuggling attempts.
“These interceptions of hard narcotics are a great indication that drug smuggling organizations are making a concerted effort to introduce their merchandise across the border,” said Port Director David Gonzalez, Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas Port of Entry. ”CBP continues to counter those efforts through vigilance and perseverance.”
The first seizure occurred at the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge on Nov. 8 after a CBP officer referred a grey 2013 Volkswagen Jetta with two occupants, a 28-year-old man and a 52-year-old woman, both Mexican citizens, for further inspection.
With the assistance of a (canine team), CBP officers discovered 10 packages of alleged cocaine hidden within the vehicle. The estimated street value is $184,500 for the 23.90 pounds (10.84 kg).
The second interception occurred on Nov. 10 at the Pharr International Bridge cargo facility. Utilizing all available tools and resources, including non-intrusive imaging technology (NII), CBP officers discovered six packages of alleged cocaine weighing 15.61 pounds (7.08 kg) within a commercial tractor/trailer driven by a 29-year-old man from Mexico. These narcotics have a street value of $120,500.
CBP OFO accomplished the last seizure at the Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge on Nov. 11 after referring a 20-year-old man from Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico driving a white Chevy Cobalt for a secondary inspection.
During the course of the examination, officers discovered seven packages of alleged cocaine hidden with the Cobalt. CBP OFO seized the 17.95 pounds (8.14 kg) valued at $138,000.
CBP OFO seized all the vehicles and arrested the four persons associated with the drug-smuggling attempts, subsequently turning them over to the custody of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents for further investigation.
CBP Arrests South African Man
Traveler wanted for felony theft, probation violation
HOUSTON – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at Bush Intercontinental Airport intercepted a South African man wanted for felony theft and probation violation prior to his boarding an international flight, Nov. 7.
Robert Van Rooyen, 39, was preparing to board a flight with a final destination to South Africa when CBP officers detained him. Van Rooyen is a lawful permanent resident and is wanted in Harris County, Texas.
“As a law enforcement agency, we will take every opportunity to assist our law enforcement partners in apprehending suspects wanted for criminal activity,” said Houston CBP Port Director Raymond S. Polley. “These partnerships are essential to protecting our borders and our communities.”
CBP officers notified the Houston Police Department who arrested Van Rooyen; he will be turned over to Harris County Sherriff’s Office.
During the course of its border security mission, CBP officers at times encounter wanted suspects. On a typical day in fiscal year 2017, CBP arrested 21 wanted criminals at U.S. ports of entry.
CBP at Hidalgo International Bridge Detects over $300K Worth of Heroin
HIDALGO, Texas— U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (OFO) at the Hidalgo International Bridge arrested a woman from Houston after detecting $307,000 worth of heroin within the vehicle she was driving.
“I commend our officers for their continued vigilance and perseverance towards the CBP mission of keeping dangerous drugs from crossing our borders,” said Port Director David Gonzalez, Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas Port of Entry. “All seizures, regardless of quantity are victories in this grinding battle against drugs.”
CBP officers assigned to the Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge on November 6, referred a 23-year-old female United States citizen driving an orange 2007 Ford Edge for further inspection.
With the use of all available tools and resources, officers discovered two packages of alleged heroin weighing 13.54 pounds concealed within the vehicle.
CBP OFO seized the narcotics along with the vehicle and arrested the woman, who was turned over to the custody of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents for further investigation.
Border Patrol Agents Discover Illegal Aliens in Refrigerated Trailer
LAREDO, Texas – Border Patrol agents assigned to the checkpoint on Interstate Highway 35 north of Laredo, Texas uncovered a smuggling attempt when they discovered 81 illegal aliens concealed in a refrigerated trailer.
On November 9, the event unfolded when agents encountered a red tractor pulling a white refrigerated trailer, with one visible occupant.
During the primary inspection of the occupant, it was established the tractor was displaying a stolen license plate and referred to secondary. At secondary, a service canine alerted to the odor of concealed humans and/or narcotics.
Further inspection revealed 81 individuals locked in the refrigerated trailer displaying a fictitious seal. The smuggled aliens consisted of 67 males, 13 adult females and one juvenile female.
The individuals were from the countries of Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, El Salvador, Brazil, and Nicaragua. All individuals were illegally present in the United States.
The driver, a United States citizen, along with the illegal aliens were placed under arrest and processed accordingly. All of the individuals were evaluated and did not require medical attention.
Bi-national Cooperation Results in Seizure of Marijuana
LAREDO, Texas – Cooperation between U.S. Border Patrol assets and the Government of Mexico yielded a marijuana seizure by the Mexican Military in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico.
On the evening of November 5, agents from the Laredo North Station working in north Laredo notified the Laredo Sector Foreign Operations Branch that armed individuals had been observed on the Mexican riverbank.
They were observed carrying bundles suspected of containing narcotics. The individuals left the area with the bundles and moved to another location in Nuevo Laredo.
Through coordinated efforts and the sharing of information, the Mexican Military (Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional – SEDENA) was able to find the place where the group had relocated to.
In the early morning hours of November 6, SEDENA personnel arrived at that location and conducted a search of the area. A total of 10 bundles of marijuana totaling 110 kilograms (242.5 lb.) were found and seized.
SEDENA personnel also seized a vehicle. The narcotics and vehicle were turned over to the Procuraduría General de la República (Attorney General’s Office) for disposition. No arrests were made.
This narcotics seizure represents the importance of bi-national cooperation to effectively reduce the trafficking of illicit narcotics at the border.
CBP Stops Two Methamphetamine Body Carriers
EL PASO, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the El Paso port of entry arrested two methamphetamine smugglers Tuesday.
The pair were traveling together in a vehicle that entered the U.S. from Mexico.
“CBP officers remain vigilant in their efforts to stop smugglers and other violators,” said Ray Provencio, acting CBP El Paso port director. “Smugglers will attempt any means to transport drugs across the border.”
The seizure occurred just after 6 pm at the Ysleta crossing when a 2001 Chevrolet Malibu with three occupants entered the port from Mexico.
CBP officers initiated a secondary exam during which a CBP drug sniffing dog alerted to the presence of drugs.
A 37-year-old male U.S. citizen had a bundle of methamphetamine weighing less than one pound concealed in his crotch area.
A 26-year-old female U.S. citizen had a bundle of methamphetamine weighing less than one pound concealed internally in her vagina which she voluntarily removed during the inspection.
Both subjects who were carrying drugs were turned over to Homeland Security Investigations special agents to face charges associated with the failed drug smuggling attempt. The third individual was released.
Man Who Escaped Prison 30 Years Ago Surrenders To CBP Officers
TORNILLO, Texas – Apprehending fugitives is a daily occurrence for U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers. However encountering someone who has been on the lam for three decades is unusual. That is exactly what happened at the Tornillo port of entry Wednesday.
CBP officers were working the pedestrian inspection area just before 10 a.m. when 66-year-old Rodolfo Suarez arrived and told CBP officers he was turning himself in.
CBP officers immediately queried the U.S. citizen and received an armed and dangerous match.
Further queries indicated that he had escaped from La Tuna Federal Correctional Facility thirty years ago and had been sought ever since.
“Usually fugitives are surprised when our queries turn up their wanted status,” said CBP Tornillo Port Director Donna Sifford. “In this case the man volunteered the information which we then had to confirm.”
Border Patrol Agents Arrest Suspected Driver in Smuggling Case
LAREDO, Texas – Laredo Sector Border Patrol agents on Tuesday apprehended a suspected driver wanted in connection with a recent smuggling attempt.
The initial event happened on October 25, when agents apprehended 16 subjects after a truck crashed and bailed out in a local ranch.
Agents were unable to apprehend the driver of the vehicle at the time, but the ongoing investigation allowed for the driver to be positively identified and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Then on November 6, Border Patrol agents conducting checkpoint operations on Farm-to-Market Road 1017 encountered the suspect when he presented himself for an immigration inspection.
His identity was verified and he was arrested and turned over to the U.S. Marshals.
CBP Officers Seize Over $2 Million in Cocaine at the World Trade Bridge
LAREDO, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Office of Field Operations (OFO) officers assigned to the World Trade Bridge recently seized over $2 million in cocaine in one enforcement action.
“I congratulate our officers for this significant seizure and for the outstanding job they do each day in keeping our borders safe,” said Port Director Albert Flores, Laredo Port of Entry.
The seizure occurred on Monday, November 5, when a CBP officer referred a 2011 Dodge stake bed truck for a secondary examination.
A non-intrusive imaging system and canine inspection by CBP officers resulted in the discovery of 100 packages containing 260.4 pounds of alleged cocaine. The narcotics have an estimated street value of $2,008,040.
CBP officers seized the narcotics and vehicle. The driver was arrested and the case was turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) special agents for further investigation.
