EL PASO, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the Ysleta border crossing in El Paso, Texas intercepted 16 pounds of fentanyl in a failed smuggling attempt. The driver of the vehicle transporting the drugs was a 16-year-old.
“History has shown that almost every element of society can be lured into the drug smuggling trade,” said CBP Ysleta Port Director Arnoldo Gomez. “Over the years CBP officers have encountered teens, senior citizens, families and single travelers smuggling drugs.”
On August 6, CBP officers assigned to the Ysleta border crossing encountered two individuals arriving from Mexico via the vehicle lanes. A CBP officer referred the individuals for a secondary inspection of the vehicle which included screening by a CBP canine and non-intrusive inspection (x-ray). The secondary search led CBP officers to locate multiple bundles throughout the vehicle containing a total of 16.44 pounds of fentanyl.
The driver, a 16-year-old U.S. citizen, was turned over to state and local authorities for prosecution and the passenger, an 18-year-old citizen of Mexico, was processed for an expedited removal and returned to Mexico.