Methamphetamine worth more than $1.1 million was seized at the Nogales port of entry β making it the largest meth seizure in Arizona port history, federal authorities said.
The seizure on Friday led to the arrest of a Mexican national for the alleged attempt to smuggle more than 387 pounds of meth in a load of bell peppers, according to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection news release.
Juan Rodolfo Lugo-Urias, 35, of Playas de Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico was taken into custody by officers at the Mariposa Commercial Facility.
A drug-sniffing dog alerted officers when Lugo-Urias attempted to enter Nogales, Arizona through the port. The dog alerted officers to the presence of drugs inside the trailer's front wall and rear doors.
Nearly 400 packages of meth were removed from the tractor-trailer, authorities said.
"This significant interception is a testament to the vigilance and skills of the dedicated officers at the Port of Nogales," said Guadalupe Ramirez, port director, in the release.
The drugs and vehicle were seized and Lugo-Urias was turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations.
