U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) intercepted two marijuana smuggling attempts last week, confiscating a total of 293 kilograms. Both shipments were intended for the United Kingdom.
The first seizure occurred on October 2nd, involving CBP's Anti-Terrorism Contraband Enforcement Team (A-TCET), Advanced Targeting Unit (ATU), and CBP Narcotics Detection Canine Team. They discovered nearly 242 kilograms of marijuana in an outbound air cargo shipment labeled as beauty equipment destined for Manchester, U.K. The shipment included 371 vacuum-sealed pouches of marijuana packed in eight boxes.
Two days later, another significant amount of marijuana was found during a baggage inspection on a flight to London Heathrow Airport. This operation uncovered 100 vacuum-sealed bags containing just over 51 kilograms of marijuana.
Investigations into these large-scale seizures are ongoing, with no further details available at this time.
In 2024, CBP seized a total of 167,000 kilograms of marijuana compared to 150,000 kilograms in the previous year.
Marijuana remains a prevalent drug across the United States. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) notes that its short-term effects include memory and learning issues, distorted perception, thinking difficulties, and coordination loss. These impairments affect learning and driving abilities significantly. Health problems associated with smoking marijuana include bronchitis, emphysema, and bronchial asthma. Long-term use may suppress the immune system and withdrawal from high doses can lead to physical symptoms such as headaches and nausea.
"U.S. Customs and Border Protection is America's frontline: the nation's largest law enforcement organization and the world's first unified border management agency," according to their statement. "The 65,000+ men and women of CBP protect America on the ground, in the air, and on the seas."
###
