A nearly $7 million marijuana load was found in a tractor trailer hauling bell peppers Saturday at the Mariposa Commercial Facility at the port of Nogales, authorities said.
The driver of the tractor trailer, a 46-year-old Mexican national, was taken into custody and the marijuana was seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers, according to a news release.
A drug-sniffing dog alerted officers and more than 13,700 pounds of marijuana was found mixed with the produce, said authorities. The marijuana had an estimated value of $6.85 million.
Later Saturday evening, officers inspected a Ford SUV at the Dennis DeConcini crossing at the Nogales port of entry and found more than 34 pounds of cocaine hidden in the vehicle's back seats.
The cocaine had an estimated value of nearly $386,000, officials said. The driver of the SUV, a 29-year-old Mexican national, was taken into custody and his vehicle and drugs were seized.
