EL PASO, Texas -- U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations officers working at the El Paso port of entry seized 2,633.9 pounds of marijuana in two separate busts Wednesday, valued at approximately $2,107,120.

“The cargo environment is challenging as the varying types of vehicles and commodities provide smugglers numerous places to hide contraband," said Hector Mancha, CBP El Paso Director of Field Operations. “The layered enforcement approach CBP utilizes helped in making these seizures. Drug sniffing dogs, high technology, and officer expertise all contributed to this enforcement action.”

Bridge of the Americas drug load.

The first seizure was made at approximately 12:15 p.m. when a 2006 GMC C7500 entered the Bridge of the Americas commercial area of the port from Mexico, carrying a commercial quantity of aluminum foil. The primary CBP officer referred the vehicle for an x-ray and an intensive inspection. A canine enforcement officer and his narcotics/concealed human detector dog conducted a sweep of the truck resulting in a positive alert to the presence of narcotics. Bundles were discovered comingled with boxes of aluminum foil. A sample was extracted from one of the bundles, which tested positive for the properties of marijuana. A total of 626 bundles were discovered with a weight of 1,056.5 pounds.

The second seizure was made at approximately 9:07 p.m. where the primary CBP officer for an intensive exam referred a 2007 International Commercial Semi-Truck bearing hauling an empty flatbed bearing. An x-ray inspection yielded positive anomalies within the floor of the empty flatbed. A canine enforcement officer and his narcotics/concealed human detector dog conducted a sweep of the semi-truck and flatbed resulting in a positive alert to the presence of narcotics. A total of 419 bundles with a weight of 1,577.4 pounds. The investigation in both cases continues.

Ysleta port drug load.