Brownsville Port of Entry CBP Officers Seize $168K in Cocaine at Gateway International Bridge

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Gateway International Bridge intercepted a load of alleged cocaine. CBP officers discovered the alleged narcotics, valued at approximately $168,300, hidden within a silver 2002 Nissan Altima.

“Our officers’ keen observation skills led to the discovery of these dangerous narcotics,” said Port Director Petra Horne, “Keeping our borders secure is a very important task and our officers take that responsibility very seriously.”

The seizure took place on Monday, Oct. 10, at Gateway International Bridge when a 20-year-old female Mexican citizen who resides in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, applied for entry into the United States driving a silver 2002 Nissan Altima. The vehicle was referred to CBP secondary for further examination after a primary inspection. In secondary, with the aid of a K9 unit, CBP officers discovered nine packages hidden within the vehicle. CBP officers removed the packages which contained a total of 21.83 pounds of alleged cocaine.

The estimated street value of the narcotics from the seizure is approximately $168,300.

CBP officers seized the narcotics along with the vehicle, arrested the driver and turned her over to the custody of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents for further investigation.