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Officers seize $522k in hard drugs

Posted at 4:38 PM, Nov 30, 2015
and last updated 2015-11-30 18:38:07-05

TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - Customs and Border Protection officers successfully stopped over half-a-million dollars in hard drugs from being smuggled into the U.S. over Thanksgiving weekend.

Officers arrested three female Mexican nationals allegedly involved in separate incidents at the Port of Nogales.  The three arrests resulted in the seizure of more than 71 pounds of cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine.

On November 28, 50-year-old Lorenia Rodriguez-Garcia was stopped by officers at the Mariposa crossing for inspection.  Officers then found nearly 39 pounds of meth, cocaine and heroin valued in excess of $426,000 in her rear seats.

Also on Saturday, a 18-year-old Laura Alejandra Martinez-Soto was stopped while at the Morley pedestrian crossing for further inspection.  Officers then found just more than two pounds of meth worth more than $6,000 in her clothing.

Officers at the Dennis DeConcini crossing referred Ana Laura Paara-Mendez, 33, for further inspection of her vehicle on November 29.  Officers then discovered nearly 30 pounds of methamphetamine worth almost $90,000 hidden underneath a spare tire.