HARDER DRUGS COMING THROUGH NOGALES

Border Officials Noting A Trend

U.S. border officials say smugglers are trying to sneak harder drugs,
including cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin, through the Nogales port of
entry, a "preferred route of choice" for smugglers.

The Nogales area always has served as a major gateway for drug smuggling,
but marijuana has long been the most popular narcotic seized in Nogales and
along the entire 1,950-mile Southwest border. During four of the past five
months, the number of cocaine, meth and heroin seizures in Nogales has
outpaced marijuana, which officials called "unusual."

"Obviously, there's a trend there," said Roger Maier, a spokesman for the
U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection. advertisement

"It's certainly an anomaly compared to other points of entry."

In February alone, officials working at the Nogales Port of Entry made 20
cocaine seizures totaling 624 pounds and worth nearly $20 million. Border
officials at Arizona's six ports of entry seized a total of 4,985 pounds of
cocaine all of last fiscal year, Maier said.

On Monday, inspectors at the port of entry found three men in a Jeep with
just over eight pounds of cocaine taped to their legs, and a separate truck
with a fake wall hiding 76 pounds of cocaine, according to CBP reports.

James Tong, the Nogales port director, said the "smuggling community has
selected Nogales as its preferred route for this form of contraband,"
referring to drugs other than marijuana.

Officials had no explanation for the upswing, although Maier said it has
not coincided with a drop in another portion of the Southwest border.