Arizona Border Patrol Discovers Packages of Meth-Packed Meat

Longtime Border Patrol agents have seen their share of creative smuggling attempts, but this one layers on the irony thicker than the cuts at a butcher’s counter. On November 14, Nogales Station Border Patrol agents, at the Interstate 19 immigration checkpoint near Amado, Arizona, discovered methamphetamine hidden inside packages of meat — the latter a product that, depending on its origin, is also likely illegal to bring across the border.

Agents working the primary inspection lanes referred a Nissan Versa, with Sonora, Mexico, license plates, for further inspection. An X-ray scan of the car revealed anomalies in the trunk, leading agents to discover what they said was four packages of methamphetamine, totaling more than 20 pounds, concealed within packages of frozen meat. The driver, a 32-year-old male Mexican national, with a border crossing card, was arrested and is facing charges of narcotic smuggling.

“As much as smugglers try to get creative, our agents never let their guard down,” stated Tucson Sector Acting Chief Patrol Agent Henry Laxdal. “Their hard work and dedication have prevented an extraordinary amount of drugs from ever reaching United States streets, and I couldn’t be prouder of them.”

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, all travelers entering the United States are legally required to declare any agricultural products — including meats, fruits, vegetables, plants, seeds, soil, animals, and plant- or animal-based food items.

Undeclared prohibited items can lead to confiscation and civil penalties of up to $1,000 for first-time offenders carrying non-commercial quantities. More severe penalties apply to commercial violations (and probably importing methamphetamine, too). 

The restrictions exist because agricultural items may carry pests, soil-borne organisms, or diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, and other foreign animal and plant pathogens. These risks pose a threat to U.S. agriculture, livestock, ecosystems, and the wider economy.

»Related: CBP thwarts smuggling of 242 pounds of bologna at Texas border