EL PASO, TX - Federal officials with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are investigating two cases in which a Mexican drug cartel reportedly used children as carriers and decoys to smuggle fentanyl into the United States.
According to reports, children as young as nine, 11, and 16 were involved in separate drug seizures at an Arizona point of entry just north of an area where cells of the Sinaloa cartel are known to operate. The first seizure took place over Labor Day weekend when a 16-year-old female American citizen tried to re-enter the United States on foot at the San Luis Port of Entry in San Luiz.
A CBP officer processing her return noticed an alert for a juvenile reported as missing and referred the girl to a secondary inspection area. Interviewing officers found out that the teenage girl was carrying drugs in a package taped to her abdomen. Upon removing that package, officers discovered 16,200 fentanyl pills that she had been given in Mexico to transport back into the U.S. CBP officers seized the drugs and turned the girl over to the custody of Yuma County Sheriff's Office deputies.
The second seizure occurred on Tuesday, September 3rd, in the evening when a 32-year-old American mom driving a Kia sedan with her two children, ages nine and 11, went to the port of entry from San Luis Rio Colorado, Mexico. According to CBP officials, the officer on duty sent the family to a secondary inspection area of the border crossing to check on the vehicle. At that inspection area, a K9 officer alerted to anomalies and the Kia was driven through an X-ray portal.
Border officers dismantled the tires and extracted 54,000 blue fentanyl pills and four kilos of methamphetamine. CBP said that the drugs seized are worth close to $200,000. Special agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) interviewed the mom and placed her in custody.
CBP did not state what happened to the two children, who were also American citizens. They likely were either turned over to other family members or placed in the custody of a child protection agency.
Chris Leon, Area Port Director for San Luis said, "Both of these seizures highlight how drug trafficking organizations exploit children as part of their business. Our CBP officers remain vigilant on America's front lone and dedicated to keeping these deadly drugs out of our communities." San Luis Rio Colorado, across the border from San Luis, Arizona, has seen a lot of Sinaloa cartel activity for the last six years. As recent as March, drug tunnels leading to the U.S. border have been discovered, mass graves unearthed, and shootings between rival cells have been reported.
According to the Border Report, in the late night hours of Sunday, September 8th, gun battles between members of organized criminal groups left four people dead and several vehicles shot-up just south of the Texas-Mexico border. Luis Aguirre, chief of staff of the state police for Chihuahua said, "We are reinforcing security to guarantee the safety of the people in Ojinaga, Coyame, and Manuel Benavides. We have at least four people dead and another one injured by gunfire."
The state police seized four abandoned vehicles including a Chevrolet Avalanche, a Ford F-150 pickup, a Jeep Rubicon, and a Land Rover. Both the Jeep and Land Rover had Texas license plates.
A burned up vehicle was also found along with two AK-47 rifles, two smoke grenades, and assorted ammunition were seized. State police officials said that they are investigating numerous social media postings allegedly uploaded by the groups involved, but declined to comment on a motive.
Ojinaga and Coyame have been the site for murders associated with a fight between two cartels, La Linea and Sinaloa for control over migrant smuggling, over the last few years. In May, five ride-share drivers went missing after dropping off migrants they had picked up in Chihuahua City at various locations in Ojinaga. Police found their half-naked bodies abandoned on the side of the highway near Chihuahua City a few days later. All had gunshot wounds.
According to reports, children as young as nine, 11, and 16 were involved in separate drug seizures at an Arizona point of entry just north of an area where cells of the Sinaloa cartel are known to operate. The first seizure took place over Labor Day weekend when a 16-year-old female American citizen tried to re-enter the United States on foot at the San Luis Port of Entry in San Luiz.
A CBP officer processing her return noticed an alert for a juvenile reported as missing and referred the girl to a secondary inspection area. Interviewing officers found out that the teenage girl was carrying drugs in a package taped to her abdomen. Upon removing that package, officers discovered 16,200 fentanyl pills that she had been given in Mexico to transport back into the U.S. CBP officers seized the drugs and turned the girl over to the custody of Yuma County Sheriff's Office deputies.
The second seizure occurred on Tuesday, September 3rd, in the evening when a 32-year-old American mom driving a Kia sedan with her two children, ages nine and 11, went to the port of entry from San Luis Rio Colorado, Mexico. According to CBP officials, the officer on duty sent the family to a secondary inspection area of the border crossing to check on the vehicle. At that inspection area, a K9 officer alerted to anomalies and the Kia was driven through an X-ray portal.
Border officers dismantled the tires and extracted 54,000 blue fentanyl pills and four kilos of methamphetamine. CBP said that the drugs seized are worth close to $200,000. Special agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) interviewed the mom and placed her in custody.
CBP did not state what happened to the two children, who were also American citizens. They likely were either turned over to other family members or placed in the custody of a child protection agency.
Chris Leon, Area Port Director for San Luis said, "Both of these seizures highlight how drug trafficking organizations exploit children as part of their business. Our CBP officers remain vigilant on America's front lone and dedicated to keeping these deadly drugs out of our communities." San Luis Rio Colorado, across the border from San Luis, Arizona, has seen a lot of Sinaloa cartel activity for the last six years. As recent as March, drug tunnels leading to the U.S. border have been discovered, mass graves unearthed, and shootings between rival cells have been reported.
According to the Border Report, in the late night hours of Sunday, September 8th, gun battles between members of organized criminal groups left four people dead and several vehicles shot-up just south of the Texas-Mexico border. Luis Aguirre, chief of staff of the state police for Chihuahua said, "We are reinforcing security to guarantee the safety of the people in Ojinaga, Coyame, and Manuel Benavides. We have at least four people dead and another one injured by gunfire."
The state police seized four abandoned vehicles including a Chevrolet Avalanche, a Ford F-150 pickup, a Jeep Rubicon, and a Land Rover. Both the Jeep and Land Rover had Texas license plates.
A burned up vehicle was also found along with two AK-47 rifles, two smoke grenades, and assorted ammunition were seized. State police officials said that they are investigating numerous social media postings allegedly uploaded by the groups involved, but declined to comment on a motive.
Ojinaga and Coyame have been the site for murders associated with a fight between two cartels, La Linea and Sinaloa for control over migrant smuggling, over the last few years. In May, five ride-share drivers went missing after dropping off migrants they had picked up in Chihuahua City at various locations in Ojinaga. Police found their half-naked bodies abandoned on the side of the highway near Chihuahua City a few days later. All had gunshot wounds.
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