3 U.S. women had fentanyl hidden internally within their bodies, CBP says

EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) — Three women — all U.S. citizens — attempted to smuggle fentanyl by concealing it internally within their bodies, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Tuesday.

The latest incident happened when a 47-year-old attempted to cross into the U.S. through the pedestrian lanes on Monday at the Paso Del Norte Bridge in Downtown El Paso.

CBP officers referred her to a secondary inspection, where officers conducted a pat-down search and said they felt a foreign object in her groin area.

The woman reportedly admitted to carrying drugs and voluntarily removed a bundle from her vaginal cavity. The woman had 0.07 pounds of fentanyl.

On Saturday, also at the Paso Del Norte Bridge, a drug-sniffing dog alerted officers to the presence of narcotics on a 34-year-old woman who had arrived on foot.

Officers said they conducted a pat-down search and discovered a drug-filled balloon that had dislodged from her vaginal cavity. The woman allegedly had 0.14 pounds of fentanyl.

On June 6, officers at the Ysleta Port of Entry said a 34-year-old woman attempted to smuggle .23 pounds of fentanyl by hiding it inside her rectal cavity.

“Smugglers will utilize any and all methods available to introduce contraband to the United States,” said Hector A. Mancha, CBP El Paso Director of Field Operations. “CBP uses multiple layers of enforcement to identify and stop these smugglers. … Those layers include technology, officer expertise, and canine enforcement teams.”

CBP turned the three women over to Homeland Security Investigations.