U.S. Border Patrol agents conducting inspections at the Interstate 19 checkpoint north of Nogales uncovered more than 5 kilograms of suspected cocaine during what began as a routine stop, officials said. The seizure followed the referral of a silver Infiniti G35 to secondary inspection, where agents located multiple bundles of narcotics concealed inside the vehicle.
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Agents referred the Infiniti to secondary inspection while the driver remained outside the car, according to Border Patrol authorities. During that secondary inspection, officers discovered six bundles of suspected cocaine hidden in a cardboard box placed behind the front passenger seat.
U.S. Border Patrol photo showing multiple packages of suspected cocaine and the vehicle from which they were recovered after a routine I‑19 checkpoint stop near Nogales; agents say more than 5 kilograms were seized.
Border Patrol officials reported the total seizure as more than 5 kilograms of cocaine and said the interdiction prevented the narcotics from reaching communities farther into the United States. The Drug Enforcement Administration took custody of the suspected cocaine, the vehicle and the driver following the discovery. Authorities have not released the identity of the driver or detailed any potential criminal charges.
The incident was posted by the U.S. Border Patrol’s Tucson Sector on social media, where agents shared information about the seizure and the circumstances of the stop. No additional law enforcement statements or court filings relating to the case had been released at the time of the report.
This seizure is one of several substantial drug interdictions reported in Southern Arizona in recent months. In May, Border Patrol agents at the Amado I‑19 checkpoint recovered more than 31 pounds of cocaine and methamphetamine after a K‑9 alerted to a Chevrolet Malibu; officials estimated the street value of those drugs at more than $322,000, and the driver in that stop was arrested.
Just weeks later, deputies from the Pima County Sheriff’s Department reported another large recovery: K‑9 Rocco helped locate nearly 73 pounds of cocaine hidden inside a trailer during a traffic stop on Interstate 10 near Houghton Road. Investigators recovered cash during that stop, and the driver was arrested on multiple narcotics‑for‑sale charges.
Law enforcement agencies note that the I‑19 corridor continues to be a high‑traffic route for both immigration enforcement and drug interdiction efforts in Southern Arizona. Checkpoint inspections and K‑9 teams operating along the corridor have played a recurring role in intercepting narcotics that are being transported northward, officials say.
At this stage, investigators have handed the suspected cocaine and the vehicle to the DEA for further handling and potential evidence processing. No public information about indictments or court proceedings tied to this I‑19 seizure has been released by authorities.
The I‑19 checkpoint referenced is the Tucson Sector’s tactical checkpoint site near kilometer post 42 (KP 42) by Amado, Ariz., a recurring inspection location used by Border Patrol along the Nogales–Tucson corridor.
More than 5 kilograms of cocaine is roughly equivalent to about 11 pounds.