LAREDO, TEXAS – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Laredo Port of Entry seized a combined total of 14,935 pounds of marijuana at the World Trade International Bridge in six enforcement actions late last week.
“Our frontline officers maintain constant vigilance in the cargo environment and every now and then we encounter multiple loads of this magnitude but they are atypical,” said Acting Port Director Joseph Misenhelter, Laredo Port of Entry. “These narcotics interceptions illustrate the quality enforcement work that our officers do on a daily basis.”
The seizures occurred on Jan. 8 and 9, when a CBP officers referred the tractor trailers hauling shipments of gypsum calcium sulfate for secondary examinations. An intensive inspection of the six shipments resulted in the discovery of 4,248 bundles allegedly containing the combined 14,935 pounds of marijuana that has an estimated street value of $2.9 million.
CBP officers seized the narcotics and turned the cases over to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents for further investigation.
CBP’s Laredo Port of Entry is part of the South Texas Campaign, which leverages federal, state and local resources to combat transnational criminal organizations.