U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Gateway International Bridge in Brownsville intercepted a significant cocaine shipment on January 8, discovering more than 41 pounds of the drug hidden inside a vehicle.
A 29-year-old female Mexican citizen attempted to cross into the United States in a 2008 Chevrolet when officers referred the vehicle for secondary inspection. Using a canine unit and nonintrusive scanning equipment, CBP officers discovered packages concealed within the vehicle containing 41.27 pounds of alleged cocaine with an estimated street value of $551,041.
“As this seizure clearly illustrates, our frontline CBP officers work with diligence as they perform their duties and their efforts led to this significant narcotics interception,” said Tater Ortiz, Port Director at the Brownsville Port of Entry. “Enforcement actions like these help keep our communities safe.”
CBP officers seized the narcotics and the vehicle. The driver was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations special agents, who initiated a criminal investigation.
