EAGLE PASS, TEXAS—U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at Eagle Pass seized more than half a million dollars worth of cocaine in two separate enforcement actions recently.
The first seizure occurred on Friday evening when CBP officers at Eagle Pass Bridge I found more than 11 pounds of cocaine in a car driven by a Killeen man. The 22-year-old U.S. citizen arrived at the port of entry driving a 2008 Nissan Sentra, bearing temporary
Texas license plates. A canine sweep of the vehicle and a scan with a non-intrusive imaging system indicated anomalies in the engine compartment. Officers searched and found three black tape-wrapped packages containing 11.44 pounds of cocaine, worth an estimated $366,080.
The second seizure came on Tuesday morning when CBP officers at Bridge I inspected a taxi as it arrived in the United States from Mexico. A passenger in the taxi, a 48-year-old woman from Eagle Pass was found to have two bricks of cocaine in her purse and another hidden in her waistband. With the assistance of a CBP canine, officers seized 5.94 pounds of cocaine, valued at approximately $190,080.
Suspects in both cases were turned over to Homeland Security Investigations.
"Smugglers continue to use a variety of methods to try to bring their contraband into the country," said Cynthia O. Rodriguez, CBP Port Director, Eagle Pass. "Our officers are trained to detect and interdict these smuggling attempts using a wide spectrum of technology, skills and experience."
The Office of Field Operations is the primary organization within U.S. Customs and Border Protection tasked with an anti-terrorism mission at our nation's ports. CBP officers screen all people, vehicles and goods entering the United States while facilitating the flow of legitimate trade and travel. Their mission also includes carrying out border-related duties, including narcotics interdiction, enforcing immigration and trade laws, and protecting the nation's food supply and agriculture industry from pests and diseases.