Texas Border Business
EL PASO, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized 22.4 kilograms of fentanyl at the Presidio, Texas Port of Entry on July 15.
CBP officers assigned to the Presidio Port of Entry discovered 22.4 kilograms of fentanyl concealed inside the spare tire of a 2018 Dodge Ram pickup truck. The male U.S. citizen driver was applying for entry into the United States during the early morning hours after crossing the border from Ojinaga, Mexico. Nonintrusive inspection technology revealed anomalies in the truck’s spare tire and the driver was referred for secondary inspection. Inspection of the tire revealed packages containing the fentanyl.
The vehicle driver was arrested, taken into custody, and charged with violations of 21 U.S.C. 952 (Importation of Controlled Substances) and 21 U.S.C. 841 (Possession with the intent to distribute).
“The vigilance of our Customs and Border Protection officers have resulted in a significant seizure of the highly addictive and dangerous narcotic fentanyl. I am glad we prevented it from reaching our streets,” said Director Ray Provencio, of the El Paso Field Office. “This seizure underscores why we must make the necessary investment in CBP to have trained officers and technology on our borders to protect the American people.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fentanyl is responsible for 38,084 American overdose deaths in 2025 and 49,913 overdose deaths in 2024.
