Narcotics Discovered in Vehicle’s Secret Compartment

United States Citizen Arrested and Charged

Tucson, Ariz. –Border Patrol agents assigned to the Tucson Sector, a component of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Joint Field Command-Arizona, stopped a cross-border smuggling attempt yesterday involving a U.S. citizen and a truck with a hidden compartment.

Agents working on the east side of Douglas, near the international boundary, discovered 515 bundles of marijuana in a pick-up truck’s hidden compartment with the assistance of a Border Patrol canine team. The marijuana weighed more than 550 pounds and had an estimated value of $275,000. Carlos Dominic-Pino, 21, of Tucson was arrested in conjunction with the narcotics smuggling.

Using a national fingerprint identification system, agents discovered Dominic-Pino was convicted of armed robbery in Pima County in 2006 and served 4.5 years in prison. Dominic-Pino is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office on federal drug charges.

The Border Patrol has made significant progress toward combating transnational criminal organizations by impacting their ability to transport contraband throughout the United States and ensuring smugglers face stiff federal penalties for their actions. In Arizona, the probability of being detected and the consequences of doing so are higher than ever before.

Customs and Border Protection appreciates assistance from the community. Citizens can report suspicious activity by calling the Border Patrol at (877) 872-7435 and remain anonymous.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with managing and protecting our nation’s borders at and between official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while also enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.