Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Southern Texas seized cocaine worth $3,553,513 in street value concealed in a tractor-trailer, a statement released Thursday noted.
The officers discovered the 108 packages containing a total of 266 pounds of cocaine during a non-intrusive secondary inspection of the tractor and its empty flatbed trailer at the Laredo–Colombia Solidarity International Bridge on the U.S.-Mexico border, on Tuesday, the CBP statement noted.
Special agents from Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the seizure, the statement added.
Hard narco takedown in cargo: @DFOLaredo @CBP officers seize $3.5M in cocaine hidden in a tractor trailer at #Laredo’s Colombia-Solidarity Bridge. @HSI_SanAntonio is investigating. Read more here: https://t.co/kA5ludzrQq pic.twitter.com/fJNtt2mLpy
— CBP South Texas (@CBPSouthTexas) November 2, 2023
“A significant seizure like this one underscores the seriousness of the narcotics threat we face every day and the commitment of our frontline officers to carry out our border security mission,” said Albert Flores, the director of the Laredo Port of Entry. (RELATED: Border Patrol Finds Over 200,000 Fentanyl Pills Hidden In Gender Reveal Décor)
The seizure came on the heels of an Oct. 20 seizure of 151 packages of crystal methamphetamine weighing 420 pounds and worth $3,863,032 hidden within the beams of a flatbed trailer at the Eagle Pass Camino Real Port of Entry, about 92 miles northwest of the Laredo–Colombia Solidarity International Bridge, a separate statement noted.
Large meth takedown: @DFOLaredo @CBP officers at Eagle Pass Port of Entry seize $3.8M in methamphetamine hidden within a flatbed trailer. @HSI_SanAntonio is investigating. Read more here: https://t.co/Gac51O5H0h pic.twitter.com/2Tuk4zD33c
— CBP South Texas (@CBPSouthTexas) October 25, 2023
“Although anti-terrorism is our primary mission, CBP officers continue to maintain their vigilance to ensure commercial entries are safe and free of contraband, as this narcotics seizure illustrates,” said Eagle Pass Port of Entry Director Pete Beattie, the statement noted.
The CBP seized 549,238 pounds of drugs in 53,538 instances between Oct. 1, 2022, and Sept. 30, 2023, with marijuana being the most trafficked drug, CBP statistics showed.
CORRECTION: This story’s original headline attributed the seizure to the Border Patrol, which patrols the area between ports of entry. It was actually made personnel working for CBP’s Office of Field Operations and Customs, which is responsible for ports of entry.