Officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) ‘encountered a shipment of toilets that consisted of more than commodes’ during a recent commercial border crossing attempt in Texas.
The drug bust occurred on October 2 at the World Trade Bridge in Laredo, Texas, according to a CBP news release.
A semi truck hauling a load of toilets was attempting to cross into the U.S. from Mexico when it was stopped for an inspection using a canine unit and a non-intrusive imaging system.
Officers discovered 1,017 packages containing 13,744 pounds of alleged marijuana hidden within the shipment of toilets.
The estimated street value of the marijuana is $2,748,404.
The drug were seized by CBP and the case was handed over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations for further investigation.
“As our frontline CBP officers at World Trade Bridge seek to facilitate lawful commerce in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, they maintain a robust enforcement posture and that vigilance and attention to detail resulted in the seizure of more than six and a half tons of marijuana hidden within the commodity,” said Acting Port Director Andrew Douglas, Laredo Port of Entry.
Smuggling attempt down the drain: #CBP officers seize $2.7M in marijuana, more than six and a half tons, hidden in a commercial shipment of toilets at #Laredo’s World Trade Bridge. Read more: https://t.co/LB766e8pxg pic.twitter.com/60x0wcUJL6
— CBP South Texas (@CBPSouthTexas) October 7, 2020