In a notable interception at the Paso Del Norte international crossing in El Paso, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers thwarted a drug smuggling attempt involving an unusual conveyance—a motor scooter. According to an official release, officers seized over 12 pounds of fentanyl and a small quantity of cocaine on Monday. The drugs were ingeniously concealed within the scooter, which was operated by an 18-year-old female U.S. citizen.
The apprehension took place at about 8 p.m. when CBP's Mobile Enforcement Team, suspicious due to irregularities in the scooter's appearance, flagged the vehicle for a secondary inspection. It was here that the scooter, reportedly red in color with a single female rider, was subjected to a thorough examination. "Smugglers will use any means possible in their attempts to introduce drugs into our communities," Ray Provencio, CBP El Paso Port Director, emphasized the persistent threat in a statement obtained by the CBP.
CBP officers put the vehicle under the nose of a trained drug-sniffing dog, which promptly alerted to the presence of narcotics. A Z-Portal, a nonintrusive inspection system, further verified anomalies in the scooter's battery compartment, hinting at concealed contraband. Upon deeper inspection, officers discovered seven meticulously packed bundles; cocaine was stowed in one, two contained fentanyl pills, and the remaining four were packed with powdered fentanyl.
The young driver was immediately arrested following the find and handed over to Homeland Security Investigations special agents. She now faces federal charges related to her involvement in the failed drug running attempt. The CBP's vigilance at border points remains a critical barrier to these smuggling operations, as Provencio noted on the CBP website, "CBP officers remain vigilant because any one of the thousands of arriving vehicles we encounter daily could be transporting drugs."
