LAREDO, Texas – As Laredo celebrated Washington’s birthday this weekend with multiple events, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) officers kept sharp focus on border security efforts, seizing a total of $2.3 million in cocaine, marijuana in back-to-back enforcement actions at World Trade Bridge.
“While Laredo geared up for the final weekend of the Washington’s birthday celebration, our frontline CBP officers steadfastly carried out CBP’s border security mission and intercepted two significant loads of narcotics in the cargo environment,” said Port Director Albert Flores, Laredo Port of Entry. “These seizures underscore the seriousness of the drug threat our officers face daily and our firm resolve to keep our border communities secure.”
seized by CBP officers at World Trade Bridge.
The larger valued seizure occurred on Thursday, Feb. 21 at the World Trade Bridge when a CBP officer referred a 2003 Freightliner tractor hauling an empty trailer for a secondary examination. Following a canine and non-intrusive imaging system inspection, CBP officers discovered 99 bundles containing a total 264 pounds of alleged cocaine hidden within the conveyance. The narcotics have an estimated street value of $2.03 million.
The more recent seizure occurred on Sunday, Feb. 24 at the same bridge when CBP officers utilizing canines and a non-intrusive imaging system discovered 50 packages containing a total of nearly 1,347 pounds of marijuana within a 2010 International tractor hauling a shipment of bentonite clay. The narcotics have an estimated street value of $269,314.
In both seizures, CBP officers seized the narcotics and the cases were turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) special agents for further investigation.
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