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U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers recently announced that they had made a record seizure of six and a half tons of meth valued at more than $117 million.
The methamphetamine was discovered and confiscated at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry in Texas.
It was the largest seizure of its kind ever at a port of entry in a single enforcement action.
“This gargantuan methamphetamine seizure, the largest ever taken down by CBP officers at a port of entry, uniquely illustrates the serious narcotics threat our officers face on a daily basis and their effectiveness at utilizing our technological enforcement tools, expertise and experience to zero-in on these threats,” Donald Kusser, Director, Field Operations, Laredo Field Office, said in a statement. “This seizure exemplifies our officers’ steadfast commitment to advancing CBP’s priority border security mission while facilitating lawful trade and travel.”
The six and a half ton meth seizure at the Camino Real International Bridge when a Customs and Border Protection officer called for a secondary inspection of a tractor trailer which was supposed to be carrying a shipment of drying agent for piglets.
Upon a canine and non-intrusive inspection system examination, a total of nearly 13,101 pounds of alleged methamphetamine was discovered within the trailer.
“For far too long, drug trafficking organizations have been raking in billions of dollars at the expense of our communities that are left ravaged by addiction, death and despair as a result of these poisonous substances,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Dawson, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Houston. “Thanks to the outstanding teamwork between HSI Houston, HSI Eagle Pass, HSI Mexico City and our partners at CBP, we have prevented a record-breaking amount of these narcotics from making it to Houston where they would have destroyed an untold number of lives.”
.@HSIHouston, @HSI_SanAntonio (HSI Eagle Pass Office), @HSI_HQ and HSI Mexico City are investigating a record-breaking seizure of 5,942 kilos of meth that was interdicted by @CBPSouthTexas at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry on Feb. 18 and was destined for Houston. More: 👇 pic.twitter.com/V5r4yrqqWp
— HSI Houston (@HSIHouston) February 19, 2024
This seizure comes on the heels of a seizure of over $9.5 million worth of meth by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Laredo (Texas) Port of Entry earlier this month.
In January, almost 22 tons of cocaine worth $1.1 billion was seized in a record bust by Ecuador’s Armed Forces.