$1 million in cocaine allegedly found inside gas tank

Customs and Border Protection officers seized 31.5 pounds of cocaine with an estimated street value of $1-million, officials said.

The seizure was made Wednesday afternoon at the Santa Teresa Port of Entry.

A CBP officer initiated a secondary examination when the driver of a 2007 Nissan Frontier entered the port from Mexico.

A drug sniffing dog alerted officers to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle and an X-ray system revealed anomalies within the fuel tank. Officials say officers removed the tank and located bundles containing cocaine taped within the tank.

A total of 12 cocaine-filled packages were recovered from the gas tank, officials said.

CBP officers arrested the driver, a 22-year-old man from El Paso, Texas. He was turned over to HSI special agents to face charges.