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  4. CBP Officers Seize Ton of Marijuana at Columbus Port

CBP Officers Seize Ton of Marijuana at Columbus Port

Release Date
Wed, 06/17/2015

COLUMBUS, N.M. -- U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations officers working at the Columbus port of entry seized 2,095 pounds of marijuana this weekend. The drugs have an estimated street value of $1,676,000.

“Smugglers went to great length and spared no expense in an effort to conceal this drug load,” said CBP Columbus Port Director Robert Reza. “CBP officers worked hard and were persistent to locate this drug load and stop this sizeable shipment.”

CBP Officers remove marijuana-filled cylinders from metal pipes.

CBP Officers remove marijuana-filled cylinders from metal pipes.

The events leading to the seizure began late June 12 when a flatbed trailer hauling a shipment of 80 20-foot-long steel pipes arrived at the port from Mexico. An initial examination of the loaded shipment was inconclusive. CBP officers decided to off load the pipes to fully exam the shipment.

The truck was secured and the shipment was off loaded June 13. CBP officers examined the load and determined that 12 pipes were filled with steel containers. CBP officers drilled a container and retrieved a green substance that tested positive for marijuana. The shipment was transported to a secure area for a full dismantling of the suspect pipes.  A total of 108 steel containers were removed from 12 of the 80 pipes in the shipment. A total of 949 marijuana-filled bricks were removed from the containers. The drugs weighed 2,095 pounds. No arrests were made and the investigation continues.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021