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  4. CBP Field Operations at Hidalgo Seizes Substantial Amount of Drugs Worth Over $4 Million

CBP Field Operations at Hidalgo Seizes Substantial Amount of Drugs Worth Over $4 Million

Release Date
Tue, 04/28/2020

HIDALGO, Texas—U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (OFO) at the Hidalgo International Bridge seized $4,327,000 worth of alleged heroin and methamphetamine and arrested a man from Pharr, Texas in connection with this failed drug smuggling attempt.

“This was definitely a significant interception of hard narcotics that our frontline officers accomplished this weekend,” said Port Director Carlos Rodriguez, Port of Hidalgo/Pharr/ Anzalduas. “Keeping drugs out of our communities is a top priority for CBP Field Operations.”

Buckets containing $4.3 million in narcotics seized by CBP officers at Hidalgo International Bridge
Buckets containing $4.3 million in narcotics seized by
CBP officers at Hidalgo International Bridge.

On April 25, 2020 CBP officers at the Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge encountered a 24-year-old male U.S. citizen driving a white Ford F-150 pickup arriving from Mexico. A secondary inspection which included utilizing a non-intrusive imaging (NII) system resulted in the discovery of suspected narcotics concealed within the truck’s tires. CBP officers removed 14 packages containing nearly 121 pounds of alleged black-tar heroin and nine packages containing 51.72 pounds of alleged methamphetamine, valued at $3,293,000 and $1,034,000 respectively.

CBP OFO seized the narcotics, the pickup and arrested the driver and the case is being investigated by agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between official ports of entry. CBP is charged with securing the borders of the United States while enforcing hundreds of laws and facilitating lawful trade and travel.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021