Agents with US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized 67.64 pounds of cocaine from a female traveler enrolled in the SENTRI program according to a Sept. 17 news release.
The incident occurred on Sept. 15 at the Port of San Luis. A 59-year-old unnamed female approached the border crossing in San Luis from the lane for members of the Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI) program in a Toyota SUV at 4:45 a.m. Agents referred the vehicle for secondary inspection, including a K9 search. In the non-intrusive search, agents found something strange in the rear frame of the vehicle, and the canine alerted to the presence of drugs.
Twenty five packages of cocaine were removed from the rear doors and rear quarter panels of the sport utility vehicle and tested for identification. That 67.64 pounds of cocaine has an estimated street value of $722,518, according to the Sept. 17 news release.
The Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI) allows pre-approved travelers to have an expedited screening at the southwest land border. Applicants are subjected to a background check, fingerprint submission, and an in-person interview before they are approved for the expedited crossing option, according to the Sept. 17 news release.
“The use of SENTRI is a privilege but participants are not exempt from inspection. We will continue to utilize multiple layers of inspection not only to expedite travel but to also appropriately scrutinize these Trusted Traveler lanes,” said Chris Leon, Area Port Director for San Luis.
The vehicle and drugs were seized. The woman, a US citizen, was turned over to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations, according to the Sept. 17 news release.
US Border Patrol is a federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Homeland Security responsible for safeguarding the nation's borders and preventing illegal entry of people and contraband. Established in 1924, it operates in 328 ports of entry and protects 7,000 miles of land borders and 95,000 miles of maritime borders.
