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Bizarre discoveries were made during the arrests of three individuals during two separate incidents at the United States-Mexico border last weekend, FOX News reports.
A spider monkey was found stowed inside a backpack in a vehicle flagged by U.S. Custom and Border Patrol agents last Sunday (April 6) when a 20-year-old man and 21-year-old woman, both U.S. citizens, were crossing into the U.S. through the Anzalduas International Bridge. The two people were detained and the monkey was taken to Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville following the traffic stop.
The importation of certain types of monkeys is regulated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in adherence with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, however, monkeys are specifically prohibited from being imported into the U.S. as pets.
CPB agents also found 73 pounds of alleged cocaine stashed in the Ford Explorer driven by a 68-year-old Mexican citizen attempting to cross into the U.S. through the Hidalgo International Bridge during a second inspection on Sunday. Authorities estimated that the alleged narcotics were valued to be approximately $980,000 in total.
The 68-year-old was detained by Homeland Security and the alleged cocaine was seized by the department. Authorities have not publicly identified the three people arrested in the two incidents.
"Our frontline CBP officers and agriculture specialists continue to remain vigilant as they conduct their inspections; their attention to detail and inspections experience led to an interception of an endangered species and a significant narcotics seizure in two separate enforcement events," Hidalgo Port Director Carlos Rodriguez said in a statement obtained by FOX News. "We remain committed to preventing the exploitation of protected animals and the spread of animal diseases. Seizures of narcotics also reinforce our continued commitment to our border security mission."