HIDALGO, Texas—U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (OFO) at the Hidalgo International Bridge made three compact but significant interceptions of alleged cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin worth $337,000 in two separate, unrelated incidents.
“Our officers’ excellent inspectional skills and observational techniques allowed us to make these interceptions,” said Port Director Carlos Rodriguez, Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas Port of Entry. “Smugglers will utilize all kinds of methods in their attempts to bring drugs across the border and it’s up to us to keep up with those trends and help keep our communities safe.”
CBP officers at Hidalgo International Bridge.
On Nov. 18, 2020, a 28-year-old man driving a Hyundai Sonata arrived at the Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge and a CBP officer referred him for further inspection of the vehicle. Utilizing non-intrusive imaging (NII) equipment as part of the secondary examination, officers located packages of suspected narcotics concealed within the vehicle. Officers removed 10 packages of alleged cocaine weighing 25.5 pounds (11.64 kg) and two packages of alleged heroin weighing 5.10 pounds (2.32 kg). The street value is $198,000 and $116,000, respectively.
Later that day at the same border crossing, CBP officers arrested two adult women, (36) and (18), both U.S. citizens from Mission, Texas after discovering a package of alleged methamphetamine hidden on each woman’s body. The narcotics weighed 265.3 grams and 241 grams, respectively and are valued at $23,000 combined.
CBP OFO seized the narcotics, the vehicle and arrested the two women and the man, a U.S. citizen from Palmview, Texas. Agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) took custody of all three individuals and continue with the investigation.
For more information about CBP, please click on the attached link.