U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Paso Del Norte border crossing recently thwarted four separate attempts to smuggle fentanyl and methamphetamine. The smugglers had concealed the drugs internally within their bodies.
CBP El Paso Port Director Ray Provencio highlighted the grave risks of this smuggling method, noting its potential lethality if the drug packaging were to break. He commended the officers for their timely intervention, preventing any medical crises.
The first interception occurred on January 14, when officers discovered 189.8 grams of fentanyl and 65.7 grams of methamphetamine on a 36-year-old American woman. She was stopped in the pedestrian lane and a secondary inspection led to the discovery of drugs hidden in her vaginal cavity, aided by a CBP canine inspection and pat down search.
The following day, officers seized 119.1 grams of fentanyl from a 22-year-old American woman. Alerted by a CBP canine team, a secondary pat down search revealed a fentanyl bundle concealed in her vaginal cavity.