RIO GRANDE CITY, Texas—U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (OFO) at the Rio Grande City International Bridge arrested a 45-year-old woman from Ciudad Camargo, Tamaulipas, Mexico after discovering alleged cocaine hidden within the vehicle she was driving.
“Our frontline officers have stepped up to the plate and demonstrated extreme diligence with the discovery of these hard narcotics,” said Acting Port Director Richard Diaz, Rio Grande City/Los Ebanos Port of Entry. “This significant interception will send a message that our officers are always on alert and will take on the challenge of keeping dangerous drugs out of our communities.”
Bundles containing 46 pounds of cocaine seized by CBP officers at Rio Grande City Port of Entry
On Dec. 9, CBP officers working at the Rio Grande City-Camargo International Bridge came in contact with a black 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by a woman arriving from Mexico. The female and vehicle were referred for a secondary inspection where a subsequent examination utilizing a vehicle non-intrusive imaging system revealed packages of suspected narcotics hidden within the Jeep. CBP-OFO removed and seized 19 packages of alleged cocaine weighing approximately 46.30 pounds with an estimated street value of $1,490,000 and seized the Grand Cherokee as well.
CBP Field Operations arrested the female who was then released to the custody of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents for further investigation.
CBP’s Rio Grande City/Los Ebanos Port of Entry is part of the South Texas Campaign, which leverages federal, state and local resources to combat transnational criminal organizations.