Laredo, TEXAS – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized a significant amount of cocaine and currency valued at nearly $1 million in two separate incidents at our international bridges within the Laredo Port of Entry.
Bundles containing 74 pounds of cocaine and $2,500 in currency seized by CBP officers at Laredo Port of Entry.
“These seizures provide a great example of teamwork and the enforcement efforts conducted daily by our CBP officers,” said Port Director Joseph Misenhelter, Laredo Port of Entry. “Our CBP officers’ interviewing techniques, attention to detail and enforcement tools were crucial in the interception of these hard narcotics and currency.”
The latest incident occurred on Monday, Sep. 21 at the Gateway to the Americas Bridge when a CBP officer referred a 2012 Honda Accord occupied by two male U.S. citizens, ages 20 and 21 from Arlington, Texas for a secondary examination. A canine alerted to the vehicle and a non-intrusive inspection by CBP officers assisted in their discovery of 24 packages allegedly containing 50 pounds of cocaine hidden within the vehicle.
The second incident occurred on Saturday, Sept. 19 at the Lincoln-Juarez Bridge when a CBP officer referred a 2009 Dodge Ram pickup truck driven by a 36-year-old male Mexican citizen from Nuevo Leon, Mexico for a secondary examination. CBP officers conducted a thorough inspection of the vehicle which resulted in the discovery of 29 packages allegedly containing 74 pounds of cocaine and one bundle containing $2,500.
CBP officers seized the vehicles, currency and narcotics that have a combined value of $949,940. The passengers were arrested and the cases were then turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) special agents for further investigation.