CBP Officers apprehend woman transporting fentanyl in internal cavity

EL PASO, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the Paso Del Norte international crossing in El Paso seized 113 grams of fentanyl May 7. The drugs were hidden in the vagina of a 40-year-old female U.S. citizen pedestrian border crosser. 

“This is an exceptionally dangerous practice and could be lethal if the packaging were to fail during transport,” said CBP El Paso Port Director Ray Provencio. “It is best to not engage in smuggling activity, but especially this form. It is risky on many levels.

 

The events leading to the PDN seizure began just before 3 a.m. when CBP officers selected the woman for a secondary exam. During the inspection, the woman told CBP officers she had a foreign object concealed in her body. 

The woman was transported to a medical facility for an exam which confirmed the presence of an object internally concealed. Medical staff successfully removed the drug-filled package. No additional anomalies were spotted during a subsequent exam. 

The woman was returned to the port of entry where she was arrested and turned over to Homeland Security Investigations special agents to face federal charges associated with the failed smuggling attempt.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is America's frontline: the nation's largest law enforcement organization and the world's first unified border management agency. The 65,000+ men and women of CBP protect America on the ground, in the air, and on the seas. We facilitate safe, lawful travel and trade and ensure our country's economic prosperity. We enhance the nation's security through innovation, intelligence, collaboration, and trust.