LAREDO, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized a significant amount of alleged cocaine with a value of more than $484,000 during an enforcement action.
“I congratulate the officers in carrying out the CBP mission and protecting the public from illegal narcotics,” said Port Director Gregory Alvarez, Laredo Port of Entry. “This significant seizure was possible because of the continued vigilance and alertness our CBP officers’ put forth on a daily basis.”
The seizure occurred on Tuesday, Sept. 5 at Lincoln-Juarez Bridge when a CBP officer referred a 2005 BMW SUV, driven by a 43-year-old male Mexican citizen from Guadalajara, Mexico for a secondary examination. Upon a canine and non-intrusive inspection of the vehicle by CBP officers, a total of 24 packages hidden within the vehicle allegedly containing a total of 63 pounds of cocaine, were discovered. The cocaine has an estimated street value of $484,500.
CBP officers seized the vehicle and narcotics. The driver was arrested and the case was turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) special agents for further investigation.