TUCSON, Ariz. – U.S. Border Patrol agents working immigration checkpoints on Interstate 19 in Amado and state Route 85 in Ajo seized four separate narcotic smuggling loads this past weekend. The seizures yielded 80 pounds of cocaine and 155 pounds of methamphetamine.

Saturday afternoon, agents working the I-19 Immigration Checkpoint in Amado seized 20 bundles of cocaine, weighing almost 52 pounds, during the inspection of a Jeep SUV. One hour later, agents seized 50 bundles of meth, weighing nearly 52 pounds, while inspecting a Ford Mustang.

Nearly 52 pounds of meth were seized

from a smuggling vehicle

Sunday, agents working the state Route 85 Immigration Checkpoint in Ajo stopped two separate drug smuggling attempts. That afternoon, agents seized more than 80 packages of meth hidden inside a Jeep SUV, whose passengers included two children. An hour later, agents seized nearly 20 packages of meth and 10 of cocaine hidden inside a Nissan sedan, whose passengers also included a child. The two seizures totaled 103 pounds of meth and 29 pounds of cocaine.

Two Mexican nationals and four U.S. citizen adults involved with these smuggling events were arrested and the cases were taken over by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The minor children were picked up by relatives.

Immigration checkpoints are an essential tool in the U.S. Border Patrol’s mission to protect our nation’s borders. Thanks to the vigilance and dedication of Border Patrol agents working Tucson Sector checkpoints, the dangerous drugs seized in these incidents will not hit the streets of our nation.

For more details regarding this media release or to schedule a remote interview via the LiveU system, please contact the Tucson Border Patrol Sector Public Affairs Office at tca-pao@cbp.dhs.gov or at 520-387-3210.