Officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) made “yet another notable cargo enforcement action” in Laredo this week when they intercepted more than 500 pounds worth of cocaine from a tractor trailer.
The latest in a string of major cocaine seizures involving commercial vehicles occurred on August 31, 2022, at the World Trade Bridge in Laredo, Texas.
A CBP officer referred a 2020 Freightliner tractor hauling a shipment of plastic ethylene sheets for a secondary inspection.
Using a canine unit and canine and non-intrusive inspection system examination, CBP discovered 209 packages containing 545 pounds of alleged cocaine within the shipment.
CBP says that the estimated street value of the cocaine is $4.2 million.
The drugs were seized by CBP. The investigation will be conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) special agents.
Another one bites the dust as @CBP @DFOLaredo seizes 545 lbs. of Cocaine at the Port@of Laredo, which carries an estimated street value of over $4 Million. A total of approximately $23 Million in Cocaine has been seized in the past week. Kudos to our workforce! pic.twitter.com/Z0l3KzEy7p
— Director, Field Operations, Randy Howe (@DFOLaredo) September 1, 2022
“Our frontline CBP officers have displayed unparalleled commitment to CBP’s priority border security mission, seizing a fourth significant cocaine load in the cargo environment this week,” said Port Director Alberto Flores, Laredo Port of Entry. “These seizures illustrate the gravity of the narcotics threat we are facing and the effective application of CBP officer inspections experience, resources and technology.”
Two other major cocaine trafficking attempts were thwarted at the World Trade bridge by CBP on August 30. During two separate enforcement actions, CBP seized cocaine valued at $7.6 million from tractor trailers.
On August 26 at the Colombia-Solidarity Bridge in Laredo, Texas, officers found 1,935 packages containing 1,532.65 pounds of alleged cocaine within a shipment manifested as baby wipes.
The estimated street value of the cocaine in the August 26 incident is $11,818,400.
“Colossal, record setting seizure. Largest Cocaine bust in 20 years! The Laredo Port of Entry seizes over 1,500 pounds of cocaine from Transnational Criminal Organizations! Extremely proud of our @CBP employees for keeping our communities safe,” said Laredo Port of Entry Director of Field Operations Randy Howe.