HIDALGO, Texas—U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (OFO) at the Hidalgo International Bridge made two compact but significant seizures of methamphetamine over the weekend worth $742,000 and arrested two persons in connection with the failed smuggling attempts.
“Methamphetamine continues to be the drug of choice for smugglers these days and whether they are small amounts like these or in commercial trucks, our officers are ready to intercept those dangerous drugs and keep them from crossing our border,” said Port Director Carlos Rodriguez, Port of Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas.
seized by CBP officers at Hidalgo International
Bridge.
On Sep. 18, 2020, CBP officers conducting enforcement operations at the Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge selected a 2008 Jeep Liberty driven by a 37-year-old male U.S. citizen to be inspected utilizing non-intrusive imaging (NII) equipment. This resulted in the discovery of 23 packages of alleged methamphetamine that were concealed within the Jeep belonging to the man, a Mercedes, Texas resident. The packages weighed 28.31 pounds (12.84 kg) and are valued at $566,000.
On Sep. 20, CBP officers at the same border crossing encountered a 26-year-old woman, a U.S. citizen from Houston, Texas driving a Kia Optima for further inspection. A thorough examination allowed the officers to discover four packages weighing 8.84 pounds (4 kg) of alleged methamphetamine valued at $176,000 hidden within the car’s battery.
CBP OFO seized the narcotics, both vehicles and arrested the two persons involved in the failed drug-smuggling attempts. Agents with Homeland Security Investigations took custody of the drivers and continue with the investigations.