Acting Executive Assistant Commissioner of the Office of Field Operations Diane J. Sabatino said agents seized over $3.5 million of cocaine in a commercial conveyance. The seizure took place at the Colombia-Solidarity Bridge and is part of ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking across the border.
"CBP officers assigned to the @DFOLaredo Colombia-Solidarity Bridge seized cocaine in a commercial conveyance that totaled over $3.5 million in street value! Your vigilance is appreciated!" said Diane J. Sabatino.
"A significant seizure like this one underscores the seriousness of the narcotics threat we face every day and the commitment of our frontline officers to carry out our border security mission," Laredo Port Director Albert Flores said in the news release.
The event occurred at the Colombia-Solidarity Bridge, when a CBP officer called for a tractor-trailer with an empty flatbed trailer to go through a secondary inspection, according to the press release from the CPB. Using imaging systems, CBP officers discovered 266 pounds of cocaine contained in 108 packages hidden in the vehicle. The narcotics had an estimated street value of $3,553,513.
This recent incident is not isolated but part of an ongoing series of similar operations carried out by CBP.
In July, border agents officers at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge and Colombia-Solidarity Bridge seized cocaine that totaled over $1 million in street value, according to a media release.
"Narcotic interdiction continues to be paramount in the CBP border security mission," Flores said in the news release. "These significant seizures demonstrate the result of our officers’ dedication to combating transnational crime and stopping dangerous drugs from crossing the border."
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with comprehensive management, control, and protection of our nation’s borders. It combines customs, immigration, border security, and agricultural protection at and between official ports of entry.
This year the customs agents across the country have seized 27,000 pounds fentanyl, 140,000 pounds of methamphetamine, 81,100 pounds of cocaine, 150,000 pounds of marijuana according to statistics information on the CBP website.
