(The Center Square) – U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized significant amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl at the border in Arizona on Thursday.
The law enforcement agency seized 71 pounds of meth and 63.3 pounds of fentanyl. According to a news release, the meth has a $63,796 value and the fentanyl is valued at $416,150. In total, this was nearly $480,000 in terms of “street value” taken into possession by CBP.
“This narcotics seizure is significant,” Tucson Sector Chief Patrol Agent John R. Modlin said in a news release. “It not only demonstrates the hard work of this dedicated canine team but also illustrates the need for our agents to be in the field, doing what they do best. In this case, that’s keeping dangerous drugs from reaching our nation’s communities.”
The drugs were found by an agent from Nogales Station and his K-9 by the Interstate 19 Immigration Checkpoint, CBP said. While seizures will sometimes result from vehicles being examined by CBP, four duffel bags containing the substances were reportedly “abandoned,” according to the release.
It’s estimated that over 90% of fentanyl seizures at the border are happening at legal checkpoints with American citizens being top culprits, according to the Cato Institute. However, concerns about enforcement is mounting since the Department of Homeland Security has been diverting resources from five ports of entry in Arizona to assist with Border Patrol operations, The Center Square reported in September.
Local leaders are calling for increased federal resources, like more agents, in order to handle to flow of migrants along with normal border operations.
