U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Brownsville Port of Entry intercepted cocaine valued at over $3.3 million during a recent enforcement action. The operation took place on Sunday, December 15, at the Veterans International Bridge.
Port Director Tater Ortiz stated, "This is a significant amount of cocaine intercepted by our frontline CBP officers and the enforcement action underscores the seriousness of the drug threat we face and the resolve of our officers to apply their training, experience and technology to prevent it from reaching U.S. streets."
The incident involved a 2012 Ford with a utility trailer driven by a 50-year-old Mexican citizen. After an initial inspection, officers directed the vehicle to secondary examination where they utilized a canine unit and non-intrusive inspection system (NII). This led to the discovery of 100 packages containing approximately 245.50 pounds of alleged cocaine.
The street value of these narcotics is estimated at around $3,336,864. Following this seizure, CBP officers confiscated both the drugs and vehicle. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents arrested both the driver and a passenger, initiating a criminal investigation.
CBP remains America's primary law enforcement organization with over 65,000 personnel dedicated to securing borders through innovative measures while facilitating lawful travel and trade.
