As the Laredo community celebrated President George Washington's birthday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers made a significant cocaine seizure at the Laredo Port of Entry. The Office of Field Operations seized cocaine valued at over $872,000 in a single enforcement action.
"Our frontline CBP officers continue to maintain razor-sharp focus and that attention to detail combined with the effective utilization of technology resulted in a significant cocaine seizure," said Port Director Albert Flores, Laredo Port of Entry. "Seizures like these exemplify CBP’s ongoing commitment to upholding CBP’s border security mission and keeping our communities safe."
The incident occurred on Sunday, February 23, at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge. A 2001 Ford Explorer driven by a 43-year-old female U.S. citizen was referred for secondary inspection by a CBP officer. During this examination, which included nonintrusive inspection systems and canine units, officers discovered 25 packages containing 65 pounds of alleged cocaine inside the vehicle. The narcotics have an estimated street value of $872,777.
CBP seized both the narcotics and the vehicle involved. Homeland Security Investigations special agents arrested both the driver and a male passenger, who is a 54-year-old Mexican citizen, initiating a criminal investigation.
For updates on breaking news and events related to CBP operations in South Texas, follow @DFOLaredo and @CBPSouthTexas on X.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is recognized as America's largest law enforcement organization and serves as the world's first unified border management agency with over 65,000 personnel dedicated to protecting America across various domains while facilitating lawful travel and trade.
