Officers Seize $103,000 in Marijuana in Brownsville

Brownsville, Texas U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Veterans International Bridge discovered $103,000 in marijuana hidden in the cargo area of a Jeep Cherokee; one Mexican citizen was arrested. On Wednesday, May 13 at 7:05 p.m. at the Veterans International Bridge, CBP officers encountered a silver 1999 Jeep Cherokee driven by Jose Ricardo Ruiz Guerrero, a 22-year-old Mexican citizen and resident of Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. After a primary inspection Ruiz Guerrero was referred for an intensive secondary examination. CBP officers inspection of the Jeep revealed discrepancies in the cargo area of the SUV. "Jackhammer," a narcotic detector dog, further confirmed officers suspicions by alerting officers to the odor of narcotics emanating from the vehicle. An imaging system scan indicated anomalies in the rear cargo area of the Cherokee. CBP officers intensified examination of the area revealed five tightly packed bundles of narcotics, with a combined total weight of 103 pounds of marijuana. The marijuana from this seizure has an estimated street value of close to $103,000. CBP officers arrested the driver and turned him over to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agents who investigated the seizure and will process the driver on federal drug charges.