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Drug smugglers are a crafty bunch. Or at least they think they are. They are always looking for new, inventive ways to get drugs past United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers.
They try disguising the drugs as roller blade wheels, and get caught.
They try filling tequila bottles filled with nearly 10 tons of concentrated liquid meth, and get caught.
They even try mixing $35 million worth of meth inside strawberry purée, and get caught.
Sometimes, however, they just go old school and try hiding the illegal drugs inside vehicle dashboards and seats, and get caught.
Such was the case recently on the Los Indios International Bridge at the Brownsville Port of Entry in Texas.
“The seizure took place on Sunday, Jun. 9, at the Los Indios International Bridge when a 24-year-old male United States citizen who resides in Harlingen, Texas, attempted entry into the United States in a 2006 Ford,” a Customs and Border Protection press release announced.
“The vehicle was referred to CBP secondary for further examination after a primary inspection. While in the secondary inspection area, with the aid of a canine unit and a non-intrusive inspection system (NII), CBP officers discovered packages hidden within the vehicle.
“CBP officers removed the packages which contained a total of 77.64 pounds of alleged cocaine, 29.71 pounds of alleged heroin, 2.81 ounces of alleged fentanyl, 90 pills of alleged Alprazolam 2mg and 90 pills of alleged Alprazolam 1mg.”
.@CBP #FieldOperations officers at Los Indios International Bridge intercepted a load of mixed narcotics of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and Alprazolam valued at approximately $1,610,767 hidden within a vehicle. Read all about it here: https://t.co/g4eMQh6B5Z pic.twitter.com/6cZJr2J489
— Director of Field Operations, Donald R. Kusser (@DFOLaredo) June 11, 2024
Total estimated street value of the drugs that were seized from this 2006 Ford? $1,610,767, or somewhere around (depending on whether the Ford was a truck or a car) 280 to 600 times the value of the vehicle he was driving.
That’s quite a haul. This guy really went for it, sticking cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and Alprazolam inside his car then trying to get past customs.
Unfortunately for him, he was busted and turned over to Homeland Security Investigations special agents for further investigation and processing.
“Our officers’ experience and keen enforcement efforts led to this significant narcotics interception,” said Port Director Tater Ortiz, Brownsville Port of Entry.
That and criminals sometimes being really dumb.