SAVANNAH, Ga. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Office of Field Operations at the Area Port of Savannah seized 347 pounds of cocaine, valued at more than $6 million, in a container of frozen pineapples on March 7.
CBP Port of Savannah Intercepts Nearly 350 Pounds of Cocaine
“Customs and Border Protection officers relied on their exceptional inspection skills and the amazing cooperation by our federal and state law enforcement partners to intercept what is believed to be one of the largest cocaine seizures ever in the Area Port of Savannah,” said Lisa Beth M. Brown, CBP Port Director for the Area Port of Savannah. “Intercepting dangerous narcotics at our international ports of entry before they can hurt our communities is a vital mission for CBP. I commend our officers and our partners for the tremendous teamwork that led to a very successful narcotics seizure.”
Chatham County Sherriff’s Canine Officers and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents assisted with the search and processing of the narcotics.
Authorities discovered 140 brick-shaped objects inside the refrigerated container that arrived from Costa Rica. Each package contained a white, powdery substance that field-tested positive for cocaine. These bricks weighed a combined 347.45 pounds.
CBP is charged with the critical task of securing the country from terrorists and their weapons while facilitating legitimate trade and travel, including the monitoring of millions of sea cargo containers as they pass through our nation’s seaports every year. Each day, CBP officers screen thousands of shipping containers every day at the Port of Savannah, the nation’s third busiest seaport.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the lead agency for preventing drug trafficking through airports, seaports, and land ports of entry and plays a significant role in the national drug control strategy. On a typical day, CBP seizes over 10,000 pounds of narcotics at and between its 328 ports of entry.