Drug Dog "Sniffs Out" Narcotics Worth $350,000

SAN LUIS, AZ - Customs and Border Protection Officers at the San Luis port of entry arrested two men in connection with separate smuggling attempts on February 1, 2006 after "Nelo," a narcotics detection dog, helped the officers find almost 65 pounds of narcotics. On the morning of February 1, at around 8:45, officers arrested a 24-year-old man from San Luis, Arizona when he attempted to drive a 1997 Ford F-150 pickup into the US with almost 38 pounds of cocaine hidden inside. While screening vehicles waiting in line to be processed, "Nelo" alerted to the odor of narcotics coming from the truck. When CBP officers searched the truck, they found several compartments. Once of the compartments had 14 packages of cocaine hidden inside. The driver was turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Soon after, at around 9:15, "Nelo" again alerted to the odor of narcotics, this time on a Ford Aerostar van that had been referred for a routine inspection. Officers searched the van and discovered packages inside the gas tank. When officers removed the narcotics, they found a total of 26 packages of marijuana, weighing almost 60 pounds. The driver, a 28-year-old man from San Luis, Sonora, was arrested and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Bulk value of the narcotics seized is estimated at almost $350,000. Since the beginning of the fiscal year, which began on October 1st, Customs and Border Protection officers at the San Luis port of entry have intercepted and seized more than 327 pounds of cocaine and more than 1,180 pounds of marijuana, worth more than $6.7 million.