BROWNSVILLE, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Brownsville Port of Entry intercepted five loads of alleged narcotics over the past week. CBP officers discovered the alleged drugs, which carried a combined street value of approximately $1,279,941, hidden within the multiple vehicles and the personal belongings of a pedestrian traveler.
“I am proud of the efforts our officers are doing in intercepting these dangerous drugs,” said Port Director Petra Horne, Brownsville Port of Entry. “Every seizure is paramount in keeping our borders secure.”
cocaine seized by CBP officers at
Brownsville Port of Entry
The first seizure took place on Tuesday, Jan. 17, at Gateway International Bridge, when CBP officers working primary encountered a man as he arrived at the port of entry as the driver of a tan 1995 Ford F-150. The driver, identified as a 37-year-old male Mexican citizen who resides in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, was referred to CBP secondary for further examination after a primary inspection. With the help of a K9 unit, CBP officers discovered four packages hidden within the Ford F-150. CBP officers removed the packages, which contained a total of 7.72 pounds of alleged cocaine with an estimated street value of $59,500.
The second seizure took place on Wednesday, Jan. 18, at the Brownsville and Matamoros International Bridge, when CBP officers working primary encountered a man as he arrived at the port of entry as the driver of a red 2007 Cadillac Escalade. The driver, identified as a 28-year-old male Mexican citizen who resides in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, was referred to CBP secondary for further examination after a primary inspection. With the help of a non-intrusive imaging system, CBP officers discovered 25 packages hidden within the vehicle. CBP officers removed the packages which contained a total of 504.37 pounds of alleged marijuana with an estimated street value of $100,873.
The third seizure took place on Thursday, Jan. 19, at the Gateway International Bridge, when CBP officers encountered a man attempting entry as a pedestrian. The traveler, identified as a 55-year-old male Mexican citizen who resides in Brownsville, TX, was referred to CBP secondary for further examination. With the help of a non-intrusive imaging system and a K-9 unit, CBP officers discovered 83 packages. CBP officers removed the packages which contained a total of 11.44 pounds of alleged methamphetamine with an estimated street value of $228,837.
The fourth seizure took place on Friday, Jan. 20, at the Brownsville and Matamoros International Bridge, when CBP officers working primary encountered a female as she arrived at the port of entry as the driver of a white 2005 Jeep Cherokee. The driver, identified as a 53-year-old female Mexican citizen who resides in Brownsville, Texas, was referred to CBP secondary for further examination after a primary inspection. With the help of a K-9 unit, CBP officers discovered 291 packages within the vehicle. CBP officers removed the packages which contained a total of 33.34 pounds of alleged methamphetamine with an estimated street value of $666,671.
The fifth seizure took place on Monday, Jan. 23, at the Gateway International Bridge, when a K-9 unit conducting operations encountered a man as he arrived at the port of entry as the driver of a gray 2013 Chevy Sonic. The driver, identified as a 40-year-old male United States citizen who resides in Harlingen, Texas, was referred to CBP secondary for further examination. CBP officers discovered 12 packages hidden within the vehicle. CBP officers removed the packages which contained a total of 29.06 pounds of alleged cocaine with an estimated street value of $224,060.
The combined estimated street value of the narcotics from these seizures is approximately $1,279,941.
CBP officers seized the narcotics along with the vehicles, arrested the drivers and pedestrian, and turned them over to the custody of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents for further investigation.