CBP seizes $4.3 million in drugs over weekend

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized nearly $4.3 million in heroin, cocaine and marijuana and apprehended a wanted fugitive over the weekend at Brownsville’s ports of entry.

CBP officers arrested Felix Rafael Dallas Ortega, 41, Friday at the Gateway International Bridge after they discovered 39 pounds of heroin in his vehicle, CBP spokesman Eduardo G. Perez said. A narcotics dog detected odors emanating from the white Dodge Ram pickup Dallas Ortega was driving and when officers examined the truck, they found 11 packages of the drug hidden in the drive shaft, according to CBP. The bags had an estimated street value of more than $3.9 million.

Ortega, a Cuban citizen and Houston resident, has been turned over to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) special agents who investigated the seizure.

At the B&M International Bridge on Friday, CBP officers seized 43 pounds of marijuana hidden in the rear walls of a 1998 Pontiac Sunfire driven by 40-year-old Mario Perez Chavez. The amount of marijuana discovered has an estimated street value of more than $43,000, according to CBP. Perez Chavez, a Mexican citizen from Matamoros, was processed by the Cameron County Sheriff’s Office on state drug charges.

And on Sunday, CBP officers at Veteran’s International Bridge seized more than 10 pounds of cocaine with an estimated street value of more than $323,000. The cocaine was hidden in the bumper of a Ford Taurus driven by Verulo Trujillo, 41, a Mexican citizen from Brownsville. Verulo Trujillo was arrested by CBP officers and turned over to the custody of ICE special agents who continue to investigate the seizure and processed the driver on federal drug charges.

CBP officers also apprehended Argentina Joanne Martinez, 24, on Sunday on an outstanding warrant for probation violation related to a case involving immigrant smuggling. Martinez, a U.S. citizen from Harlingen, walked through the Gateway International Bridge and was stopped by officers at inspection when they identified her as a possible match on an outstanding arrest warrant from U.S. Marshal Service.

Martinez was turned her over to the custody of the Willacy County Sheriff’s Office and transported to the County Jail, where she remains incarcerated pending extradition to McAllen to face pending charges.