DRUG SEIZURES UP AT BORDER RECENTLY

Heightened alert at the U.S.-Mexican border has the rate of drug seizures
rising.

Since Sunday, Nov. 11, U.S. Customs has seized 87 pounds of cocaine and 325
pounds of marijuana.

U.S. Customs Public Affairs Specialist Roger Maier said that the increase of
drug seizures at the border is due to intense scrutiny at the ports.

"We have been on heightened alert since September 11 and our number one goal
is anti-terrorism and because of this, our drug seizures have been
incredible recently.

"We are casting a wide net and catching a variety of contraband," Maier
said.

On Sunday, Nov. 11, agents seized 10.7 pounds of cocaine and arrested Marco
Antonio Mendoza Contreras, 29, of Nogales, Sonora.

Last Tuesday, Ariel Villegas, 27, of Hermosillo, Sonora, was arrested for
transporting 16 pounds of cocaine. That same day agents also seized 58
pounds of marijuana.

Sixty-one pounds of cocaine and 43 pounds of marijuana were seized on
Wednesday.

Arrested in the two separate cocaine seizures were Francisco Rios Lopez, 54,
of Nogales, Sonora, and Jesus Manuel Perez-Arguelles, 41, of Hermosillo,
Sonora. On Thursday, close to 220 pounds of marijuana were seized.

Drug seizures are much higher this year than they were during the same time
last year, Maier said.