FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – U.S. Customs and Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) officers working at Port Everglades seized over 22 pounds of heroin during a recent inspection. The estimated value of the seized narcotics is more than $600,000.
CBP officers discovered the heroin on a vessel arriving from Guatemala and turned over the contraband to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agents for further investigation.
"The vigilance and dedication of CBP officers has helped us to successfully interdict a significant amount of dangerous narcotics from reaching South Florida communities," said Port Everglades Port Director Jorge Roig. "Close collaboration with our Federal partners is essential and we will continue to refine and further enhance the effectiveness of our detection and interdiction capabilities."
As America’s unified border agency, CBP has a critical role in the efforts to keep dangerous drugs like heroin and other opioids out of the hands of the American public. CBP officers frequently interdict drug-smuggling attempts and locate hidden contraband such as heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana as a result of CBP’s all-threats mission.
In Fiscal Year (FY) 2015, CBP officers and agents seized 3.3 million pounds of drugs across the country and heroin total seizure amounts increased 23 percent to more than 6,000 pounds.
The 2015 National Drug Threat Assessment provides an up-to-date look at the many challenges local communities face related to drug abuse and drug trafficking. Highlights in the report include drug abuse and trafficking trends for drugs such as heroin, prescription drugs, and the hundreds of synthetic drugs manufactured outside the U.S. and imported into this country.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection operations in Florida include travel and trade facilitation and securing over 1,200 miles of the coastal border. Follow @CBPFlorida on Twitter for news and information updates.