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This past Friday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Texas arrested two drug smugglers with over $1.4 million worth of alleged cocaine concealed within their vehicles. One of them was a female from McAllen, Texas. The other was a male from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico.
The 22-year-old female United States citizen was arrested at the Brownsville, Texas Port of Entry when she tried to enter the country in a 2008 Toyota on Friday, Jan. 24. After the vehicle was referred to CBP secondary inspection following a primary inspection, CBP officers with the assistance of a canine unit discovered 40 packages containing 91.44 pounds of alleged cocaine concealed within the vehicle. The estimated street value of the seized narcotics was approximately $1,221,005.
The second drug seizure, which took place on the same day in the same location, involved a 27-year-old male Mexican citizen trying to gain entry into the United States in a 2014 Chevrolet. He and his vehicle were also referred to CBP secondary inspection for further examination.
During the secondary inspection, CBP officers using a non-intrusive inspection system discovered one package of alleged cocaine weighing 15.82 pounds worth approximately $211,350.
Both the narcotics as well as the vehicles were taken into possession by Customs and Border Protection officers. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents out of San Antonio arrested both drivers and initiated criminal investigations.
“Our CBP officers work diligently to keep our borders secure and use many law enforcement tools to perform their duties which led to these significant drug seizures,” said Port Director Tater Ortiz, Brownsville Port of Entry.
Double trouble: @DFOLaredo @CBP officers at Brownsville Port of Entry seize $1.4M in cocaine in two separate enforcement actions. Drivers arrested. @HSI_SanAntonio is investigating. Read more here: https://t.co/8h35tHSWSC pic.twitter.com/mnobRHNJ6j
— CBP South Texas (@CBPSouthTexas) January 27, 2025
These latest arrests and drug seizures in Brownsville, Texas come on the heels of $3.3 million worth of cocaine being intercepted in what U.S. Customs and Border Protection referred to on social media as a South Texas “snow” storm. That seizure came after CBP officers found 245.50 pounds of alleged cocaine concealed within a 2012 Ford being driven by a 50-year-old male and hauling a utility trailer.