EL PASO, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the El Paso area ports of entry have encountered individuals attempting to smuggle fentanyl concealed internally on their bodies over the past two weeks. 

 “It is tragic that people are willing to put themselves in these dangerous situations,” said CBP El Paso Director of Field Operations Hector A. Mancha. “This synthetic opioid is so powerful that if a package were to rupture inside the body, the consequences could be life threatening.” 

 On Feb 24, CBP Officers working at the Port of Ysleta, intercepted a 31-year-old female, U.S. citizen who attempted to smuggle .394 pounds of fentanyl. The female was referred for a secondary inspection where a CBP drug sniffing dog alerted to the presence of narcotics leading to a pat down search where CBP Officers felt a foreign object in the groin area. The female then voluntarily removed a bundle from her vaginal cavity.

On Feb. 28, CBP Officers working at the Paso Del Norte Border Crossing intercepted a 42-year-old female, U.S. citizen, who attempted to smuggle .293 pounds of fentanyl. A CBP drug sniffing dog presented a positive alert for narcotics leading the subject to admit that she was carrying drugs. The female voluntarily removed a bundle from her vaginal cavity.

 On March 2, CBP Officers stopped three fentanyl body carriers on separate unrelated incidents. At the Bridge of the Americas Border Crossing, CBP Officers encountered a 19-year-old female, U.S. citizen, attempting to smuggle 0.26 pounds of fentanyl.  During a secondary search, the female voluntarily removed a condom wrapped bundle from her vaginal cavity. The female was two months pregnant. Later that day, CBP Officers encountered a 39-year-old female U.S. citizen attempting to smuggle 0.17 pounds of fentanyl concealed in her rectum. The female admitted to CBP Officers that she was carrying drugs and voluntarily extracted the bundle. At the Paso Del Norte Border Crossing, CBP Officers encountered a 27-year-old female, U.S. citizen who was discovered to have a bag filled with 4.1 grams of fentanyl concealed in the bra area.

 All cases were processed accordingly.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the comprehensive management, control, and protection of our nation’s borders, combining customs, immigration, border security, and agricultural protection at and between official ports of entry.