HIDALGO, Texas—U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (OFO) at the Hidalgo and Anzalduas International Bridges thwarted three attempts to smuggle a combined $385,300 worth of alleged cocaine and methamphetamine in one day.
“These three interceptions of hard narcotics are definitely significant as they prevented dangerous drugs from crossing our border and possibly causing harm to innocent people,” said Carlos Rodriguez, Port Director, Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas.
On March 9, 2020, CBP officers assigned to the Anzalduas-Reynosa International Bridge referred a 19-year-old man, a U.S. citizen from Pharr, Texas and the 2011 Chevy Impala he was driving for further inspection. In secondary, officers detected 10 packages of suspected narcotics hidden within the car resulting in alleged cocaine weighing nearly 25 pounds (11.26 kg) and have a street value of $191,400.
Within hours, at the same border crossing, CBP officers referred a silver 2018 Dodge Attitude sedan driven by an 18-year-old man from Jalisco, Mexico for a secondary examination. Officers conducted the inspection and discovered 20 packages weighing 19 pounds (8.66 kg) of alleged cocaine concealed within the vehicle. This seizure is valued at $147,200.
Lastly, a CBP officer at the Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge referred a 19-year-old male U.S. citizen from McAllen, Texas who arrived as a pedestrian for additional inspection and subsequently discovered two packages of alleged methamphetamine strapped to his body. The narcotics which weighed 2.33 pounds (1.06 kg) are valued at $46,700.
In both of the cocaine seizures, officers utilized non-intrusive imaging (NII) technology to assist with the inspections.
CBP OFO seized all the narcotics, both vehicles and arrested the three men involved in the failed drug smuggling attempts. Agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) took custody of the men and continue with the investigations.