LAREDO, Texas — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the World Trade Bridge on Oct. 16 discovered cocaine hidden inside tractor-trailers in two separate incidents. The estimated street value of the two seizures is $6,973,400.
The first seizure took place when a CBP officer referred a tractor-trailer hauling a shipment of aluminum scrap for a secondary inspection. Using a canine and nonintrusive imaging system, CBP officers discovered 135 packages containing a total of 337 pounds of alleged cocaine within the shipment.
A second seizure took place later the same day when a CBP officers encountered another tractor-trailer hauling a shipment of aluminum scrap. CBP officers used a nonintrusive imaging system and conducted a canine inspection, and discovered 223 packages containing a total of 567 pounds of alleged cocaine within the shipment.
CBP officers seized the narcotics; both cases were turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) special agents for further investigation. The nationality of the drivers was not released.
“Our front-line CBP officers utilize their training and experience along with our high-tech tools, and that effective combination led to the seizure of $6.9 million in cocaine in the cargo environment,” said Andrew Douglas, acting port director for the Laredo Port of Entry. “The ability to facilitate lawful trade and travel while maintaining a robust enforcement focus is a critical element to our border security mission.”
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
