PHARR, TEXAS—Officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations at the Pharr International Bridge seized alleged heroin and cocaine with a combined total value of $2,950,000 and arrested a man from Mission, Texas in connection with the failed smuggling attempt.
The incident occurred on Wednesday night, May 8, when CBP-OFO officers working at the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge encountered a black 2005 Chevrolet Silverado pickup driven by a 23-year-old male U.S. citizen. The adult male driver presented his U.S. birth certificate along with a Texas driver's license and was then referred to secondary for a more thorough examination. After inspecting the pickup with a vehicle x-ray system, officers proceeded with the secondary inspection which resulted in the discovery of suspected packages of narcotics concealed within the vehicle. Officers removed and seized nine packages of alleged heroin which weighed approximately 25.53 pounds and five packages of alleged cocaine which weighed approximately 12.40 pounds. Officers seized the narcotics, which has an estimated street value of $2,553,000 for the heroin, $397,000 for the cocaine and also seized the vehicle.
Officers arrested the adult male driver and subsequently released him to the custody of Homeland Security Investigations agents for further investigation.
"This was an excellent seizure of hard narcotics that our frontline officers intercepted at the Pharr International Bridge," said Efrain Solis Jr., port director, Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas. "Our CBP Field Operations officers continue to demonstrate their outstanding commitment towards the CBP mission and the commitment to the public to help keep dangerous drugs out of our communities."