U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Pharr International Bridge cargo facility seized more than $2.6 million worth of suspected methamphetamine on March 30, according to an April 2 announcement.
The seizure highlights ongoing efforts by CBP to prevent illegal drugs from entering the United States through commercial shipments.
Port Director Carlos Rodriguez, Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas Port of Entry, said, “The criminal element is always thinking of ways to get their narcotics through our international crossings, but as this seizure aptly illustrates, our CBP officers are experts in their field and use all available tools and technology to thwart these smuggling attempts.”
Officers encountered a commercial tractor trailer arriving from Reynosa, Mexico. The vehicle was referred for secondary inspection using nonintrusive equipment and a canine team. During the physical inspection, officers found 1,055 packages of alleged methamphetamine hidden within a shipment labeled as carrots. The total weight was reported as 297.62 pounds (135 kilograms), with an estimated street value of $2,660,580.
CBP officials said they seized both the narcotics and the vehicle involved in the attempt. Special agents from Homeland Security Investigations have started a criminal investigation into the incident.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection describes itself as America's largest law enforcement organization with more than 67,000 personnel responsible for protecting borders on land, air and sea.
