GRAND PORTAGE, Minn. - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) officers at the Grand Portage, MN port of entry seized .95 pounds (.429 kilograms) of marijuana on April 7.
The seizure occurred when a CBP officer referred a blue Mazda being driven by a 28-year-old Canadian citizen traveling from Banff, Alberta, Canada. During a detailed inspection of the vehicle, officers discovered 32 sealed aluminum cans labeled “Pure Maple Syrup.” Officers noticed some were noticeably lighter and upon opening the cans they found that 15 of them held zip lock bags filled with a green leafy substance that tested positive for marijuana.
The driver of the vehicle was taken into custody and turned over to the Cook County Sheriff’s Office for possible prosecution.
“No matter where you hide your contraband, CBP officers will make every effort to discover it,” said Pembina Area Port Director Mary Delaquis. “The attention to detail demonstrated by the officers involved in this seizure proves our officers are constantly vigilant in performing the CBP mission.”
The Office of Field Operations is responsible for securing our borders at the ports of entry. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers’ primary mission is anti-terrorism; they screen all people, vehicles, and goods entering the United States, while facilitating the flow of legitimate trade and travel into and out of the United States. Their mission also includes carrying out traditional border-related responsibilities, including narcotics interdiction, enforcing immigration law, protecting the nation’s food supply and agriculture industry from pests and diseases, and enforcing trade laws.