EL PASO, Texas — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers working at an El Paso-area port of entry say 11.2 pounds of fentanyl and 113 pounds of cocaine have entered the U.S. illicit drug market in just one week’s worth of seizures. managed to prevent it from circulating. . The seizure included several incidents that occurred the week before the Cinco de Mayo holiday. The total street value of the drugs is estimated at $1.5 million.
In a press release announcing the seizure at an El Paso-area port of entry, Hector Mancha, CBP’s El Paso field operations director, said, “The drugs seized by CBP officers pose a threat to the communities we share. No,” he added. “We work hard every day, leveraging multiple tools, to identify and thwart those who attempt to circumvent the testing process.”
Today is National Fentanyl Awareness Day.
Texas is leading the fight against the growing fentanyl crisis plaguing our state and the nation.
All Texans can make a difference by educating themselves and their loved ones.
Together, we can save countless lives. pic.twitter.com/tfz94lv764
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) May 7, 2024
According to CBP, on April 30, 42.5 pounds of cocaine was found in a 2013 Hyundai Elantra driven by a 48-year-old U.S. citizen at the Bridge of Americas Port of Entry in El Paso. CBP officers became suspicious after noticing abnormalities on the exterior of the Hyundai Elantra. Low Energy Port Inspection System. Additional X-ray scans were carried out after the dog alerted the car to the possibility of drugs being smuggled into the car.
Officers physically searched the vehicle’s locker panel and found packages containing 18 substances, which later tested positive for cocaine. The next day, May 1, CBP officers at the nearby Isleta Port of Entry found 11.2 pounds of fentanyl powder hidden inside a 2012 Ibiza small car. According to CBP, the vehicle was being driven by a 26-year-old Mexican national.
During the enforcement action, which took place just south of the inspection booth, the driver of the Ibiza was selected for a more detailed inspection at the port’s secondary inspection station. During the search, officers discovered 15 packages filled with fentanyl in the console area of the vehicle. The 11.2 pounds of fentanyl had a street value of $230,000.
In two other incidents, CBP officers working in El Paso seized an additional 70.8 pounds of cocaine that week, totaling $1.5 million.
In most cases, border drug smuggling by Mexican cartels is aimed at moving dangerous goods north and away from border regions. The effects of fentanyl overdose are a national problem.In El Paso County, the latest Annual Medical Examiner Report (2022) It shows there were nearly 70 fentanyl-related overdoses in El Paso. The deaths occurred after residents of the border town ingested fentanyl alone or laced with other illegal drugs.
Even small amounts of fentanyl can kill lives and destroy families.
Talk to your loved ones about the real dangers of fentanyl and take an active role in the fight against this growing national crisis. #One Pill Kills pic.twitter.com/nV6y5ReY2x
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) May 7, 2024
In a campaign launched by the DEA,1 pill can kill”, authorities alerted the public to test results showing that one in seven counterfeit pills sold by Mexican drug cartels contained lethal doses of fentanyl.
Randy Clark He is a 32-year veteran of the U.S. Border Patrol. Prior to his retirement, he served as Division Chief of Law Enforcement Operations and directed operations for nine Border Patrol stations within the Del Rio, Texas area. Follow him on Twitter @RandyClarkBBTX.
