U.S. Customs and Border Protection
In a major bust this week, United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized over a ton of illegal narcotics with an estimated street value of more than $5.3 million.
The illegal drugs were confiscated in two separate seizures at the Laredo Port of Entry. Both busts occurred on Monday, Feb. 12 at the Colombia-Solidarity Bridge.
The first seizure, according to a Customs and Border Protection statement, happened when a CBP officer asked for secondary inspection of a 2006 Utility 4000 trailer, which was supposed to be empty.
Following a “canine and non-intrusive inspection system examination,” CBP officers found 2,327.77 pounds of alleged marijuana inside the trailer with an estimated street value of $5,207,501.
The second bust occurred later that same day when a 2012 Volvo tractor hauling an empty flatbed was given a secondary inspection.
During that inspection, CBP officers discovered 22.82 pounds of alleged cocaine with an estimated street value of $112,548.
Double Play: @DFOLaredo @CBP officers at Colombia-Solidarity Bridge seize $5.3M in marijuana, cocaine in commercial trucks in separate incidents. @HSI_SanAntonio is investigating. Read more here: https://t.co/xP0mNo1pVm pic.twitter.com/fctb4y445F
— CBP South Texas (@CBPSouthTexas) February 14, 2024
As a result of the two busts, a combined street value of $5,320,049 worth of narcotics were confiscated before they could reach their final destination.
“These seizures highlight our officers’ commitment to interdicting illicit narcotics,” said Port Director Alberto Flores, Laredo Port of Entry. “Laredo CBP officers continue to maintain a robust enforcement posture, successfully disrupting cross-border drug smuggling attempts.”
Year-to-date, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has seized almost 30 tons of illegal marijuana, 25 tons of methamphetamine, 8.25 tons of cocaine, over 3.5 tons of fentanyl, and 3,200 pounds of ketamine.
Interestingly, despite seizing 35 tons (70,000 pounds) of khat in 2023 (and significantly more than that in 2022), so far CBP has only seized 1,500 pounds of the drug in 2024.
Meanwhile, at the International Mail Facility in Chicago, Customs and Border Protection officers have already seized a total of 117 weapon-modifying devices since January 1.
They have now stopped 43 shipments of illegal parts used to modify weapons to either make them fully automatic or suppress the sound made by a gun shot in the first 43 days of 2024.