Douglas, AZ. - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers stopped two drug smuggling attempts when they seized more than 800 pounds of marijuana concealed in a semi-tractor, and a lowboy being pulled by a semi-tractor.
Last week, CBP officers were screening commercial traffic at the Douglas port of entry cargo facility when
they became suspicious of a semi-tractor being driven by a 34-year-old man from Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico. Utilizing a large mobile X-ray unit designed to examine commercial size vehicles, the CBP officers were able to detect anomalies in the large fuel tanks mounted on the side of the semi-tractor. Further examination of the fuel tanks revealed elaborately constructed glass compartments which contained over 190 pounds of marijuana.The very next day CBP officers were screening commercial traffic when they became suspicious of another semi-tractor pulling a lowboy. The driver was identified as a 30-year-old man and a resident of Douglas. Utilizing the large x-ray unit, the CBP officers were able to detect anomalies built into the thick steel frame work of the lowboy. Further inspection revealed that the large rails of the lowboy had been altered and contained more than 600 pounds of marijuana. The total weight of marijuana seized from both semi-tractors was 800 pounds for an estimated street value $1.3 million.
CBP officers seized the marijuana, both semi-tractors and the lowboy. The two men were turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for further investigation.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
