The utility vehicle that was referred for a secondary inspection. (Source: U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
The drugs were concealed in tool compartments, authorities said. (Source: U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
Here's a look at the drugs confiscated. (Source: U.S. Customs and Border Protection)SAN LUIS, AZ (AP/CBS 5) -
A Mexican man was arrested Monday for allegedly trying to smuggle more than 45 pounds of cocaine into southern Arizona.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers said that 36-year-old Fernando Rivera Aispuro was taken into custody at the port of entry in San Luis, AZ. They said Aispuro is from San Luis, Mexico.
CBP officers referred Aispuro's utility truck for a secondary inspection after a narcotics detection dog alerted them to the presence of drugs in the back of the vehicle.
Officers reported finding 19 packages of cocaine hidden in tool compartments, worth an estimated $495,000.
The drugs and vehicle were processed for seizure.
In another incident, officers arrested Laura Ramirez Ivanez, a U.S. citizen, for attempting to smuggle two pounds of methamphetamine into the U.S. through a pedestrian lane. During a secondary inspection, officers found the drugs taped to her midsection.
Aispuro and Ivanez were turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations.
Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. CBS 5 (KPHO Broadcasting Corporation) contributed to this report.
