PHARR, Texas — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) says it encountered a major drug shipment last week.
According to a news release, CBP officers at the Pharr International Bridge cargo facility recently intercepted $1.1 million in suspected cocaine concealed in an empty trailer.
“Our frontline CBP officers utilized an effective combination of technological tools and inspection experience to zero in on and interdict this significant cocaine load,” said CBP’s Acting Deputy Commissioner Ron Vitello. “These narcotics will not enter the U.S. and wreak any further havoc on our communities.”
On April 15, CBP says its officers at the Pharr International Bridge cargo facility encountered a commercial tractor-trailer hauling an empty trailer that arrived from Reynosa, Mexico.
“The vehicle was referred to the secondary inspection dock for further inspection utilizing nonintrusive inspection equipment and screening from a canine team,” CBP said. “[A] physical inspection led to the discovery of 32 packages of suspected cocaine with a combined weight of 83.24 pounds (37.76 kg) concealed within the trailer floor. The cocaine has an estimated street value of $1,111,503, according to CBP.
CBP officers seized the narcotics, and big rig while Homeland Security special agents initiated a criminal investigation into the seizure.
Bruce Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has lived in three states including Arkansas, Missouri and Georgia. During his nearly 20-year career, Bruce has served as managing editor and sports editor for numerous publications. He and his wife, Dana, who is also a journalist, are based in Carrollton, Georgia.
