MIAMI— U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) officers at the Miami International Airport (MIA) seized over three pounds of heroin concealed within three bags of roasted, ground coffee last month. The coffee was arriving in a package from Guatemala.
Heroin in Coffee from Guatemala Seized by CBP at Miami International Airport
CBP officers noticed anomalies during an X-ray of the package and also felt a difference in the weight of three of the bags in comparison to the rest. When officers physically examined the coffee bags they discovered a packaged substance that tested positive for heroin. All evidence was turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
“Inventive concealment methods are no match for our CBP officers who have the skills and expertise to interdict and seize narcotics,” said MIA Port Director Christopher Maston. “They work hard to fulfill CBP’s mission and demonstrate success on a daily basis.”
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the lead agency for preventing drug trafficking through airports, seaports, and land ports of entry and plays a significant role in the national drug control strategy. On a typical day in Fiscal Year 2014, CBP seized over 10,000 pounds of drugs.
CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws including the interdiction of narcotic contraband while maintaining the effective and efficient flow of travel, trade and tourism at our airports, seaports and land borders.
To see more CBP activity in Florida, visit @CBPFlorida on Twitter.