Skip to main content

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

  • Archived Content
    In an effort to keep CBP.gov current, the archive contains content from a previous administration or is otherwise outdated.
  1. Home
  2. Newsroom
  3. Local Media Release
  4. A Valentine’s Day Surprise Seizure for CBP in San Juan of 217 Pounds of Cocaine Concealed in a Flat Rack Container

A Valentine’s Day Surprise Seizure for CBP in San Juan of 217 Pounds of Cocaine Concealed in a Flat Rack Container

Release Date
Tue, 02/18/2020

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized 217 pounds (98.2 kilos) of cocaine concealed within a Flat Rack container arriving Friday on board the Santo Domingo – San Juan ferry.   The estimated value of the seized cocaine is $2.5 million.   Bricks of cocaine were retrieved from a Flat Rack container in San Juan.

“Smugglers use very creative means to conceal their illicit drug loads into the international supply chain”, stated Roberto Vaquero, Assistant Director of Field Operations for Border Security in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.  “Our officers’ expertise, along with the utilization of all available tools, resulted in the detection of these narcotics.  Our communities can feel safer knowing that the men and women of CBP are securing their borders.” 

On Feb.14, the CBP Contraband Enforcement Team inspected various containers arriving on the M/V Kydon,.observed various anomalies within an empty Flat Rack container.  

After a more intrusive examination, CBP Officers discovered several bricks concealed inside the Flat Rack, which tested positive to the properties of cocaine. 

CBP’s mission is to safeguard America’s borders thereby protecting the public from dangerous people and materials while enhancing the Nation’s global economic competitiveness by enabling legitimate trade and travel.  

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 official ports of entry. CBP is charged with securing the borders of the United States while enforcing hundreds of laws and facilitating lawful trade and travel.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021