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  4. CBP Officers Intercept More Than $6.9 Million in Cocaine Over the Weekend at the Laredo Port of Entry

CBP Officers Intercept More Than $6.9 Million in Cocaine Over the Weekend at the Laredo Port of Entry

Release Date
Wed, 10/21/2020

LAREDO, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers facilitating lawful trade encountered tractor trailers with a combined estimated street value exceeding $6.9 million in two separate enforcement operations over the weekend.

“Our frontline 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 Acting Port Director Andrew Douglas, 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.”

Packages containing 567 pounds of cocaine seized by CBP officers at World Trade Bridge
Packages containing 567 pounds of cocaine seized
by CBP officers at World Trade Bridge.

The first seizure took place on Friday, Oct. 16 at the World Trade Bridge when a CBP officer referred a tractor trailer hauling a shipment of aluminum scrap for a secondary inspection. Utilizing a canine and non-intrusive imaging system, CBP officers discovered 135 packages containing a total of 337 pounds of alleged cocaine within the shipment.

A second seizure also occurred at World Trade Bridge on the same day when a CBP officers encountered a tractor trailer hauling a shipment of aluminum scrap. CBP officers utilized a non-intrusive imaging system, conducted a canine inspection and discovered 223 packages containing a total of 567 pounds of alleged cocaine within the shipment.

The narcotics combined have an estimated street value of $6,973,400.

CBP officers seized the narcotics. The cases were turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) special agents for further investigation.

For more information about CBP, please click on the attached link.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between official ports of entry. CBP is charged with securing the borders of the United States while enforcing hundreds of laws and facilitating lawful trade and travel.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021