American found smuggling fentanyl inside body
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- CBP officers working at the Ysleta International Crossing seized a third of a pound of fentanyl found inside the rectum of a 41-year-old U.S. citizen.
“We cannot emphasize strongly enough exactly how dangerous this smuggling method is,” said CBP Ysleta Port Director Arnie Gomez. “If the concealment packaging were to rupture the results could be lethal.”
The man, who has not been identified publicly, was arrested just after 7 PM on March 31, 2025 when a drug-sniffing dog found the drugs. Officials say the man would not consent to a medical exam and HSI obtained a search warrant just after midnight for medical personnel at a local hospital to x-ray the man and conduct an exam.
"The x-ray exam confirmed the presence of a foreign object concealed internally," a CBP spokesperson explained today. "CBP officers continued to monitor the man while he was under medical care, and he eventually passed a bundle just before 2 p.m. The contents of the package contained multiple tablets which tested positive for fentanyl. The total weight was 0.31 pounds."
Officers turned the man over to HSI special agents to face charges in connection with the alleged smuggling attempt.
