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  4. CBP Officers Seize More Than $5 Million in Cocaine at World Trade Bridge

CBP Officers Seize More Than $5 Million in Cocaine at World Trade Bridge

Release Date
Thu, 02/02/2017

LAREDO, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers recently seized a significant amount of cocaine with an estimated street value of more than at $5 million at World Trade Bridge in one enforcement action.

“Our CBP officers’ knowledge of concealment methods and the technology they utilized on a daily basis played a key role in the discovery of these hard narcotics,” said Port Director Gregory Alvarez, Laredo Port of Entry. 

Packages containing 733 pounds of cocaine seized by CBP officers at Laredo Port of Entry
Packages containing 733 pounds
of cocaine seized by CBP officers
at Laredo port of Entry

The seizure occurred on Monday, Jan. 30, when a CBP officer referred a 1996 International tractor hauling a lowboy trailer for a secondary inspection.  A non-intrusive and physical inspection by CBP officers resulted in the discovery of 280 packages allegedly containing 733 pounds of cocaine. The cocaine carries an estimated street value of $5,650,800.

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

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 the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021